By Binta Jaiteh
The World Bank has allocated $135,000,000 (one hundred and thirty-five million dollars) for the improvement and management of The Gambian health sector and health system.
Dr Samuel Mills, leader of the World Bank’s Task Team to The Gambia made the announcement during the digitalizing the logistics management information system programmes on Wednesday.
“The World Bank has allocated $135,000,000 (one hundred and thirty-five million dollars) to the health sector to improve and manage the health system of the country. We look forward to your input in ensuring that we have a successful rollout in the respective and efficient electronic management information system,” he said.
According to him, the World Bank has supported several initiatives regarding the health information system, adding that there are several other electronics along the line and they are waiting for the ministry and that link is for health insurance registration.
For his part, Modou Lamin Jaiteh, Permanent Secretary Ministry of Health, emphasized that the ministry has been maintaining its logistics information system tertiary and manual.
“There has been some computerization but we live in a world were technology guides efficiency and Gambia cannot be left behind, and one of our critical needs for greater efficiency is management of logistic information,” he said.
Babanding Sabally, director of health pharmaceutical services, noted the ministry has been struggling for the past years as to what system to adapt to address the problem of data systems in this country, especially logistics management data.
According to him, with the electronic logistic management system that they are very hopeful it will revolutionize their way of doing business in the ministry of health.
Deborah Asante Luisier Funo, manager for the Global Fund expressed her appreciation for the great initiative, saying electronic management will help and enhance data quality.
She assured the World Bank saying they will support as they did from the beginning of the project with partners to make sure it is a success.
