The Association of Non-Governmental Organisations
(TANGO) has started to implement a project dubbed ‘health watch’, aimed at increasing
its capabilities and engagements in national health policy negotiations, among
other things.
The project, bankrolled by Oxfam Health Policy
Action Fund, is being implemented in partnership with the Centre for Innovation
against Malaria (CIAM), Health Promotion and Development Organisation (HePDO),
and Nova-Scotia Gambia Association (NSGA).
Speaking at the launching of the project on
Thursday, Ousman Yabo, executive director of TANGO, said the objectives of the
health watch project goes beyond just an observation but includes capacity
development especially at community level for better household health seeking
behaviour and support to health resources mobilization.
He said The Gambia government through the Ministry
of Health and partners are at an advanced stage to complete The Gambia IHP+
Country Compact, a negotiated agreement between a government and development
partners on how they will work together to improve aid effectiveness and
deliver priorities in national health strategy.
The Tango boss said The Gambia country compact sets out the understanding and agreement between The Gambia government and its health development partners with the purpose of accelerating the achievements of universal access to high quality healthcare.
Mr Yabo explained that the health watch project aims to strengthen Tango’s contribution to The Gambia country compact and will generate the required evidence for the work of Tango as well.
Mr Yabo noted that education is a key strategy in primary health care, educating communities and individuals to gain understanding of and control over health problems.
Tango’s health watch project is expected to enhance communities’ involvement in review of the basic healthcare packages.
