By: MariamaNjie
In 2021, more than one hundred and eighty-eight thousand people were affected by natural disasters, according to country’s disaster management agency report from 1 June -23 December 2021.
According to National Disaster Management Agency report, “188,546 persons from 11,567 households affected by natural disasters in The Gambia such as windstorms and Flashfloods including fire outbreaks, which is termed as the highest ever number of people affected on record.”
The report added that “40,574 of the affected population are internally displaced, 22,225 are male infants, 22,125 are female infants, 4,908 are differently abled persons, and 14,221 are pregnant and lactating mothers. Over 1,858 were left without clean drinking water and proper sanitation.”
The overall population affected per climate hazard is 136,006 as windstorm victims and 49,936 accounted for flash floods.
Damages to critical infrastructures includes; in Kuntair complete destruction of the roof of the building where services are provided such as; OPD, Drug store, labour ward, postnatal ward, laboratory and antenatal services. also, in Samba Kalla, Destruction to the roof of RCH waiting shade and shelter for Doctors, Njaba Kunda destruction to structures and units at the facilities. In Koloir destruction of structures in Kiang East, the report stated.
However, it is noted in the reported that “no list of educational facilities is yet to be reported by the Ministry of Education officially, but reports indicated huge damages to educational facilities across the country.”
The report continued that the NDMA Lower River Regional Disaster Coordination Office reports the damages to the following educational facilities in the Region: Burong Lower Basic school in Kiang West District, Willingara Lower Basic in Kiang Central District, KaniKunda Lower Basic in Jarra west district, Sankandi Arabic School in Kiang West District, Jattaba Arabic School in Kiang West District and Medina Angalleh Community School in Kiang Central District.
Meanwhile, the National Disaster Management Agency (NDMA) respond to 1,952 households across the country with a transfer value of GMD22,500 for each household.
Also, the report disclosed that Government of The Gambia allocated over GMD50 million for emergency response for the storm surge that hit the country on the 7th July 2021, leading to loss of lives, damages to social and critical infrastructures and the death toll as at the date was more than 18 lives lost, including the fire disaster at the Bilal Arabic School.
The report shows that support is needed for major critical infrastructures in schools and hospitals in collaboration with the line Ministries in the soonest.
“More losses to food stocks have been recorded, with farmers experiencing erratic rainfalls; this calls for more support from Government and partners on food security.”
On intervention, officials of NDMA disclosed that Government of The Gambia has provided humanitarian support to the most affected households across the country that WFP together with MOA, NDMA and GCRS distributed 30 Mt of rice to 4,800 people (600 households) that reported food loss as a result of the disaster.
And also, the government of The Gambia and NDMA implemented the phase 1 and 2 of the unconditional cash transfer to 1,952 households at a transfer value of GMD22,500 across the country.
“The Brikama Area Council donated the West Coast Regional Disaster Committees on disaster coordination and response at a tune of GMD500,000.00 this supported 20 households in the region for a period of 3 months at a transfer value of GMD7,500. The Gambia Red Cross Society mobilizes over GMD13 million to support over 500 households through unconditional cash transfer for food and shelter.”
“GDC Party Leader donated GMD100,000.00 for disaster response, Permanent Secretary Ministry of Lands and Regional Government donated GMD10,000.00 for disaster victims, Kerewan Area Council donated 690 bags of rice (25kg) at a tune of GMD500,000 for the victims of North Bank Region. Equally, Kerr Jarga for Development in Jokadou District in NBR also donated 272 bags of rice and 275 gallons of cooking oil (10liters) to the victims through the NDMA Regional office in NBR for onward deliveries to the most vulnerable households,” the report stated.
The report stated further that NDMA intends to carry out more unconditional cash transfers, upon receiving the support from government and partners. This will be the Phase III of the 2021 humanitarian support, National Emergency Response Plan for the 2021 response (Coordination) completed and regular emergency Coordination Meetings as part of their upcoming activities.
Meanwhile, the report highlights Key Challenges such as coordination amongst stakeholders on response, logistic constraints for assessments, limited resources for response to the victims and inadequate data collection tools.
However, NDMA officials made recommendations to stakeholders such as, strengthening Coordination in disaster response and management, response to be expedited and coordinated to avoid duplication, engage in more resource mobilization amongst partners, strengthening the capacity of the agency and unconditional Cash Transfer to help victims in their recovery paths.
In conclusion, there is an urgent support required to repair and replace the damaged structures and materials as requested by the Ministry of Health with urgency to save more lives.