Health Minister Says Mental Health Spending Remains Inconsistent
By: Fatou Krubally
The Minister of Health, Dr. Amadou Samateh, on Tuesday told the National Assembly that although funds have been allocated for mental health over the years, actual spending from those allocations has been inconsistent.
Dr. Samateh made the disclosure while responding to questions from Omar Jammeh, who asked the ministry to provide annual budget allocations and expenditures for mental health between 2019 and 2025 and to update lawmakers on the status of the draft Mental Health Bill.
According to the minister, D2.15 million was approved for mental health in 2019, but only D665,314 was spent. In 2020, D2.425 million was allocated but no expenditure was recorded. For 2021, D1.995 million was approved, with actual spending of D230,475.
He further told lawmakers that D2.2 million was allocated in 2022 with no recorded expenditure, while in 2023 the sector received D6.55 million, of which D350,325 was spent. In 2024, D3.74 million was allocated but again no expenditure was recorded.
For 2025, the minister said D3.7 million was approved and about D3.3 million was spent.
Dr. Samateh explained that the draft Mental Health Bill has been prepared by a contracted legal firm and has now been reviewed.
He said the document will be submitted to Cabinet for approval before being presented to the National Assembly.
Responding to concerns from lawmakers about mental health services, the minister said the country currently relies mainly on the Tanka Tanka Psychiatric Hospital, the only dedicated mental health facility in the country.
He acknowledged that the facility requires upgrading but noted that the quality of services has improved with the presence of trained professionals, including consultants, a Gambian mental health specialist and a professor involved in training medical students and young doctors.
The minister also said government is working to address shortages of psychiatric drugs and strengthen training for health workers to improve early diagnosis and treatment of mental illness.
He added that the government is collaborating with the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency to tackle cases linked to substance abuse, including the construction of a rehabilitation centre.
Meanwhile, Dr. Samateh also provided lawmakers with statistics on maternal mortality. He said from January to December 2025, the ministry recorded 130 maternal deaths out of 80,720 live births, translating to 129 deaths per 100,000 live births.
He noted that the figure represents a decline compared to the 2019–2020 Demographic and Health Survey, which recorded 289 deaths per 100,000 live births.
Despite the improvement, the minister said reducing maternal mortality remains one of the ministry’s top priorities, stressing the need for continued investment in maternal health services across the country.
