“The sole objective of the project is to improve quality and increase utilisation of health care services. Therefore to achieve this, concerted efforts are needed from all partners especially the healthcare providers and their immediate supervisors,” he added.
Mr. Jagne was speaking recently at Kartong during the opening of a three dayconvergence. The forum organized by the GEHSSP project was attended by senior management of the health ministry.
The project is currently being implemented in 120 public health facilities across the country. The project is expected to run from 2021 to 2026 with support from the World Bank and Gambia Government. Officials said continued grant from the World Bank will depend on the successful implementation of the project at the end of 2026. Under the project, a world class infectious disease hospital and an incineration plant will be built.
The convergence, officials further added, demonstrates another milestone in their journey towards providing quality health care to the populace.
The project, Mr. Jagne added, isthe result of the successful implementation of the MCNHRP which started from 2015 to 2020. “The previous project was piloted in 2014 at the North Bank region and because of its successes, it was scaled out to other regions excluding West Coast region. The end-line impact evaluation revealed very highly satisfactory results, hence extra funding was approved.”
“In addition, the government of The Gambia showed commitment by contributing 40 million dalasis to the continuation of the project for a period of 6 months after the deadline. The project was rolled out to all regions because of the gains registered and also due to the fact that 60% of the population live in western 1 and 2 who were not part of the previous project.”
He further maintained that the project is being implemented as a result of the numerous challenges facing our health sector such as inadequate human materials resources, dilapidated infrastructure, low quality of health care services, low utilisation of health care services, frequent stock-out of essential medicines, among others.
Baba Galleh Jallow, a seasoned health practitioner who doubles as the Project Manager urged participants to participate well with a view to enabling them achieve the objectives of the project.
He said: “some regions have been implementing the RBF for five years. However, the convergence is very key in our quest to attain quality health service delivery in the country.”
The Maternal and Child Health Project, he said, was evaluated by independent consultants by World Bank who after the evaluation rated the project as very successful.
“The Resources Based Financing (RBF) is doing extremely well. It’s a game changer in some facilities. The three days convergence is key. It will avail us the opportunity to reflect on our achievements and as well look at some of our challenges with a view to addressing them in order to improve quality health services in the country.”
According to him, Gambia Government is committed to the project. “Last year the government gave out 50 millions dalasis and this year they gave out 40 million dalasis.”
