The Association of Non-Governmental Organizations, TANGO, in collaboration with Public Health Research and Development Centre Lead NGO (CIAM), Health Promotion and Development Organization (HePDO) and Nova Scotia Gambia Association (NSGA), recently sensitized members of the Central River Region Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) members on TANGO `s Health Watch project in Janjangbureh.
The aim of the project is to contribute to the assessment of this very important national development tool by involving the communities based on the Primary Health Care philosophy.
Speaking at the opening ceremony on behalf of the governor, the deputy governor, Alhaji Malang Saibo Camara, commended TANGO for complementing the government’s efforts in the health sector.
He said TANGO`s Health Watch wishes to contribute to the assessment of “this very important national development tool” by involving the communities based on the Primary Health Care philosophy.
“The locus of control is important in PHC; health services should reflect local needs and involve communities and individuals at all levels of planning and provision of services,” he said.
“Services and technology should be affordable and acceptable to communities. Through health promotion and preventive care, PHC aims to eliminate causes of ill health. Equity is a crucial part of PHC; health services must strive to address inequity and prioritize services to the most needy.”
The TANGO representative, Kebba K. Barrow, expressed his appreciation at introducing one of the new initiatives of TANGO: the formation of TANGO `s Health Watch.
To some this may mean the formation of a Health Observatory, he said, adding that the objectives of TANGO`s Health Watch goes beyond just an observatory; it includes capacity development, especially at community level, for better household health seeking behaviour and support to health resources mobilization.
“As we may be aware, The Government of The Gambia, through the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare has developed a National Health Strategic Plan 2015-2020, and with support of the World Health Organization Country Office, efforts are in high gear to complete The Gambia IHP+ Country Compact,” he said.
“I wish to mention few extracts of that very important document; these are: Government of The Gambia and its Health Development Partners with the expressed purpose of accelerating the achievement of universal access to high quality health care…
“The Gambia IHP+ Country Compact is built on the principles of the 2005 Paris Declaration on Aid Effectiveness, the 2008 Accra Agenda for Action and the 2011 Fourth High Level Forum on Aid Effectiveness.
“The Government of The Gambia has expressed a desire to implement its National Health Sector Strategic Plan Achieving the objectives of the NHSSP 2015-2020 calls for integrated delivery of the national basic health care package.”
He also said the Oxfam’s Health Policy Action Fund (HPAF) announced a “Call for Proposals” from 36 IHP+ (International Health Partnership) countries to submit applications for funding of health policy work at national level and assessing effective development cooperation.
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