UNICEF and the Ministry of Health of The Gambia renew commitment to tackle COVID-19

UNICEF and the Ministry of Health renewed their commitment to work more closely together to support The Gambia’s COVID-19 response and the country’s overall health system. At a meeting between Gordon Jonathan Lewis, UNICEF The Gambia Representative, and the Minister of Health, Honourable Dr. Ahmadou Lamin Samateh on Friday, the two officials discussed COVID-19, immunization, birth registration and a host of other health-related issues.

Mr Lewis said UNICEF has a strong presence in The Gambia’s COVID-19 response, including its active role in the daily coordination and planning activities and the agency’s work in areas such as risk communication and community engagement and hygiene and sanitation. “We will continue to explore more opportunities to provide increased support to the COVID-19 response and recovery efforts, especially in the areas of health and access to education,” Mr Lewis underscored.

The UNICEF Representative also assured the Health Minister that UNICEF will continue to support The Gambia’s efforts to become the first West African country to be certified free of Open Defecation, and emphasized the need to sustain the high immunization coverage rates in children, step up actions to reduce neonatal mortality and ensure that every child has a birth certificate.

For his part, Minister Samateh commended UNICEF for the strong role the agency continues to play in strengthening The Gambia’s health sector by investing vital resources in the procurement of medical supplies, infrastructure and capacity strengthening. “UNICEF has been an instrumental player in the country’s health sector, especially child health,” he said.