Out of the 30 new motorcycles presented, 19 are the replacement for health staff in North Bank Region, while the remaining 11 are to replace the existing old motorcycles used by staff in Western Region Two in West Coast Region.
At the handing over ceremony, Ousman Yaboo, board chairman of Riders for Health, commended both the Ministry and Riders For Health for their efforts in ensuring quality health care delivery in the country.
The move, he said, was the result of commitment from both parties to ensure that they complement each other in national development.
According to him, the operations between the two institutions dates back to 2002, adding that the 30 new motorcycles that was handed over to MoH recently was part of the 100 motorcycles that RFH is supposed to replace in 2021.
“But due to COVID-19 we are able to produce this 30 and the remaining will be replaced in early 2022.”
Also speaking, Muhammed Lamin Jaiteh, permanent Secretary at Ministry of Health, commended RFH- Gambia for their support to the Ministry of over the years.
The ministry, he added, value this partnership which continues to bind the two institutions.
PS Jaiteh indicated that these motorcycles will in no small measure facilitate service delivery at the Ministry of Health.
Shortly before the handing over, Mr. Ken Decko, Administrative Manager for Riders for Health, explained that managing the mobility fleet of the health ministry is the main area of operation for RFH.
RFH, he added, has reached a contractual agreement with the MOH, where they will manage the Ministry’s transport fleet, including ambulances, motorcycles, generators that are used by health workers.
The three areas that RFH operates are: Transport Asset Management (TAM), the Transport Resource Management (TRM) and the Demand Services (DM).”
“For the TAM arrangements, Riders for Health owns the transport and release them out to government, where we provide transportation, fuel and the drivers and charge them what we call cost per kilometres at the end of each month. While the Transport Resource Management (TRM) module, MoH owns the Cars and Rider for Health take them and manage them by providing drivers, fuel among others and charge the Ministry cost per kilometres and the cost per kilometres there is replacement of component so that when the vehicles are too old to run they replace them.”
He noted that the third module is where the MOH owns their vehicles, drivers and fuel but they come to the riders for health maintenance.
