By Ismaila Sonko
Hon Sidia Jatta, National Assembly Member for Wuli West has said that next year budget speech will be a revolution if the government of The Gambia did not allocate proper financial budget to the Ministry of Health for equality health delivery to the people of The Gambia.
Hon Jatta said this on Thursday March 21, 2019, at the first ordinary session of the National Assembly in the 2019 Legislative year, during the adoption of the report on Network of African Parliamentary Committee on Health.
“Today in The Gambia, when a taxpayer is sick and he/she visit the hospital for treatment they will tell the person that there is no medicine, but for Gambian Ministers when they are sick they will fly to overseas for better treatment and their treatment bills are paid from taxpayer,” Jatta told lawmakers.
He stressed that if the government of The Gambia fail to allocate a proper budget on health next time the members will throw it out and it will not be approved because they are representing the people and for that being the case their welfare should be their responsibility.
The Honorable further stated that the government has health facility across the country but equal health service is not giving to Gambians. He noted that hospitals in the country do not even have the blood bank and this is very fundamental in human lives.
“The Gambia as a country,” he asked “what have we achieve for more than 53 years now in terms of development, if all these issues affecting our health, agriculture, and education sectors can be addressed, it will help. But because we lack the equality in our leadership and commitment to the country and we cannot be developed without this,” he noted.
He pointed out that the House Health Committee has the most effective committee at the National Assembly in terms of commitment of what they are doing for the best interest of the nation.
National Assembly Member for Banjul North, Ousman Sillah revealed that there is 0% budget allocation to the family planning service in The Gambia, and it’s the responsibility of the government to allocate budget to family planning department in other to do their work effectively.
He went further that the House Select Committee on health will engage the National Assembly members to give their full support in other to protect the lives of the people in this country.
Member for Kiang Central, Bakary Camara, also said that there is no fund allocate for non-communicable disease, while he urged government to consider the areas and also increase health budget.
Saikou Marong, NAM for LatriKunda called on health department to update its system. He stated that their record keeping is poor and if updated it will help to identify those that are affected with HIV/AIDS and other diseases.
He added that it will also help government to know its position on the health issues so that they can find a possible solution to the problems affecting health care services across the country.
National Assembly Member for Jarra East Sainey Touray, said health is part of human rights, saying everybody in this country has a right to get quality health care service and quality health service cannot debate when the government is not giving proper financial support.