By Yunus S Saliu
The World Health Organization (WHO) in The Gambia, Friday, 29th July 2022, handed over to the government of The Gambia through the Ministry of Health, critical medical supplies and equipment that has been generously donated by the World Health Organization.
The supplies are donated with the support of a diverse donor base with the ultimate goal of strengthening the healthcare system in The Gambia, the handover of the equipment was held at the Central Medical Store, Kotu.
Receiving the equipment, the Honourable Minister of Health, Dr Ahmadou Samateh, noted that since the onset of the covid-19 pandemic the partnership between the WHO and the government of The Gambia has been long-standing, and “it is going stronger and stronger. The WHO, being a global leader in the health sector, has performed its task to the expectation of the people of the world.”
He said the country is fortunate to have an institution like the WHO that coordinates and harmonises all these and set out benchmarks and standards that countries could use as guidelines for major performance productivity and all parameters that need to be mentioned.
He stated that from the onset of the pandemic his Ministry and government of The Gambia have worked together with the WHO Country Office very cordially, and harmoniously, exchanging ideas and having meetings together while WHO coordinated the efforts of the UN system and the entire UN systems have participated very well, actively in ensuring that The Gambia respond to covid-19 adequately.”
He applauded WHO Representative to The Gambia and team for their commitment, passion for their work, and interest in helping humanities, noting that in The Gambia “we have guidance and support from within which does not always happen in other countries.
He talked about the challenges of Covid-19 while he as well remembered the life that has been lost in The Gambia including those of the health workers saying they will always remember and pray for their souls to rest in perfect peace.
“The pandemic response is a big success and with the commitment of the government under the leadership of His Excellency President Adama Barrow, the commitment of the staff of the Ministry of Health, the commitment of partners, and the support of the population of The Gambia, we have been able to contain the spread of Covid-19 and this will continue and we should not relent,” he added.
Handing over the medical supply and equipment, Dr Desta Tiruneh, WHO Representative to The Gambia said the critical medical supplies and equipment are donated with the support of a diverse donor base with the ultimate goal of strengthening the healthcare system in The Gambia.
He pointed out that the donated equipment are range in size and value and it included surgical facemasks and disposable gloves; triple packaging isothermal cryobox and freezer boxes “in a true show of globalized society, these items originated from various parts of the world such as China, India, and United Arab Emirates.
And, he disclosed, “combining all these items add up to over $217,000 (Two Hundred and Seventeen Thousand US dollars) in valuation. But despite their varying costs, sizes, usage, and country of origin, one thing that these entire items share in common is that they were all donated with the clear intent of supporting the health sector of The Gambia.”
Dr Tiruneh said with the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic, the past few years have been a difficult journey “for everyone here in The Gambia and around the globe. And in these pressing times, we were grateful for the partnership and collaboration the WHO received not only from our esteemed colleagues at the various Ministries but also from our in-country and bilateral partners.”
He explained that the pandemic has underscored the importance of a strong and agile healthcare system that is well-equipped to handle interventions that go far beyond traditional curative health care.
From the onset of the pandemic, he said the WHO has been working in tandem with the government, the UN System, the private sector, and multilateral and bilateral partners to support the development and implementation of a robust pandemic response strategy and guidelines.
He, therefore, thanked their most generous partners including the governments of the United Kingdom, Canada, United States, Germany, France, Netherlands, and Azerbaijan.
More so, he encouraged their partners and the community to get involved in WHO efforts to promote a healthier Gambia while he urged everyone to always wear a facemask while in public or any gathering, to maintain proper hand hygiene and social distancing, and most importantly, to get your covid-19 vaccinations when it is your turn.
