A key component of the project is the implementation of Seasonal Malaria Chemoprevention (SMC), targeting over 70,000 children between the ages of 59 months and 3 years in Kombo North District, West Coast Region.
To prepare for this lifesaving campaign, the Gambia Red Cross Society (GRCS), through the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), has procured 279,800 blister packs of antimalarial medication—valued at over $150,000—to support four rounds of SMC delivery during the 2025 malaria season.
Speaking at the handover ceremony, Mr. Ebou Faye Njie, secretary general of the GRCS, highlighted the long-standing partnership between the GRCS and the Ministry of Health since the Red Cross’s establishment in 1966.
“In our auxiliary role to public authorities, we continue to support national public health programmes and interventions,” he said, adding: “One of the most recent milestones in this partnership is the launch of the Accelerating Malaria Elimination in The Gambia project in April 2025 by the minister of Health.”
Mr. Njie further explained that the $2 million project funded by the China International Development Cooperation Agency (CIDCA) through the IFRC aims to reach more than 420,000 people, with a strong focus on protecting children under the age of five in Kombo North.
The GRCS SG further added: “With invaluable assistance from IFRC offices in Dakar, Nairobi, Geneva, and Beijing, GRCS has procured nearly 280,000 blister packs of antimalarial treatment. This marks a significant milestone in our collective mission to achieve a malaria-free Gambia.”
Mr. Charles Businge, IFRC’s Regional Director for Africa, reaffirmed the importance of the project, saying: “Today’s handover is a key milestone in The Gambia’s comprehensive malaria response. This donation is part of the broader Accelerating Malaria Elimination initiative being carried out in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and funded by CIDCA.”
He noted that the project began in September 2024 and will run for two years, following its official launch on April 25th—World Malaria Day.
Mr. Lamin Dampha, permanent secretary at the Ministry of Health, expressed deep appreciation to the government of China for its consistent support, stating that: “This is a strong demonstration of the deepening ties between The Gambia and China. China has helped us greatly especially during the rainy season when illnesses like malaria affect many people, particularly children in rural areas.”
H.E. Liu Jin, Chinese Ambassador to The Gambia, also commended the cooperation between the two countries and pledged China’s continuous support, including additional donations of medical supplies to bolster the country’s malaria response efforts.
“We support The Gambia because, in doing so, we are also supporting ourselves. Many Chinese nationals live and work here, and their well-being is tied to the health of the communities around them,” he concluded.
