The grant aims to accelerate progress in the fight against HIV, tuberculosis, and malaria while strengthening health systems across the country. The grant will cover different aspects of the prevention, treatment, and support to HIV, tuberculosis and malaria, from equipment to strengthening laboratories, medication provision, capacity building, and logistics support.
This grant, which covers 2024 to 2027, will be implemented by three entities namely; Ministry of Health, National Aids Secretariat and Action Aid International.
Welcoming the gathering, Cherno Jallow, permanent secretary at the Finance and Economic Affairs, who doubles as chair of the board Country Coordinating Mechanism (CCM), went down memory lane, recalling that the event is the culmination of an enormous collective effort that began way back in 2003, when the Global Fund started its fight against HIV and Aids, tuberculosis and malaria.
“From that moment, many grants were provided by the Global Fund and for this year, we will receive US$40 million in grant resources from the Global Fund to continue the fight against these three diseases in addition to improving our health systems.”
The CCM, PS Jallow added, has tirelessly worked with national stakeholders to ensure that the country’s grants are conceptualised for submission to the Global Fund for support.
Those submissions, he added, were all successful with the country receiving several approved Global Fund grants to undertake the ambitious fight against three diseases.
Adda Faye, Chief Financial Officer of Global Fund, paid tribute to the Gambian leader for his admiration, appreciative of the work of the Global Fund.
She expressed delight to be in Banjul and that the US$ 40.9 million in grants, is meant to complement additional funds already invested by the government of The Gambia to improve the systems for health with a particular focus on HIV and Aids, Tuberculosis and Malaria.
The grants, she added, will be implemented by three entities, namely - Ministry of Health, National Aids Secretariat and Action Aid International.
She observed that by looking at these three institutions, it demonstrates a strategy of inclusive implementation, as they don’t want to leave no one behind.
Seedy Keita, Minister for Finance and Economic Affairs, said the day marks another important day for the country as they gather to launch the ambitious grants aimed at fighting HIV and Aids, Tuberculosis and Malaria in the next three-year cycle.
That support, he added, would go a long way in complementing government’s efforts in realising its health ambition.
He acknowledged the remarkable efforts made by the country’s CCM and the process it did to enable the country achieve these results, saying the government of The Gambia has provided all the required resources to facilitate the local development process without which, it would not have been possible to attain this achievement.
Finance Minister Keita also spoke about the commitment of President Barrow to advancing the health and welfare of all Gambians as demonstrated by his allocation of a national budget to the health sector.
For his part, Dr. Ahmad Lamin Samateh, minister for Health, spoke about the gains made by the ministry over the last few years, saying the new grant cycle is recognition to the government in its ongoing efforts to end HIV and Aids, Tuberculosis, and Malaria in The Gambia.
‘Firstly, we are increasing oversight at the Ministry level through the office of the Director of Health Services. Specific responsibilities have been assigned to improve program performance and achieve our National Strategic Goals. We are leveraging existing structures to collaborate and ensure all resources are effectively deployed.’
Minister Samateh reminded that they are also working closely with programmes, stakeholders, and health facilities to integrate services for HIV and Tuberculosis.
‘For tuberculosis, we are improving case detection and diagnosis with the support of stakeholders and the WHO. We are updating treatment guidelines to enhance care. The establishment of the sample referral network in public health laboratories has improved disease surveillance and pandemic preparedness. We are committed to scaling up this network with the support of our partners.’
Launching on behalf of President Adama Barrow, Fatou Kinteh, minister for Gender, Children and Social Welfare, reaffirmed government’s unrelenting fight against malaria, tuberculosis and HIV and Aids and the development of the country’s health services.
“This day is meant to inform Gambians and the entire world that The Gambia is not forgotten by the international community such as Global Fund in providing funding to his government’s health system in the fight against HIV and Aids, tuberculosis and Malaria, while further strengthening health systems.”
She recalled that twenty years ago, HIV and Aids, Tuberculosis and Malaria seemed insurmountable. To combat this deadly infectious disease facing humanity at the time, the world came together to create the Global Fund in 2002, demonstrating extra ordinary global solidarity and leadership.
“By investing more than US$ 60 billion over the next two decades, the Global Fund partnership has prevented deaths from the three diseases and saved million of lives in countries where it has done so.”
She maintained that as a global collaboration, the Global Fund aims to end HIV, control tuberculosis infection and also eliminate malaria, while ensuring a safer, healthier and fairer future for all.
‘I deeply appreciate the billions of dollars raised and invested annually to combat these deadly infectious diseases, address the inequalities they cause and strengthen the health systems and pandemic preparedness in over 100 countries worldwide in which my country cumulatively has received US$ 247 million.’
The event also witnessed signing of the grants by Seedy Keita, Minister for Finance and Economic Affairs and Adda Faye, Chief Finance Officer Global Fund.
