United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) have handed over more than $500,000 in supplies to help Gambia’s Ministry of Health respond to COVID-19 and other health emergencies, UNICEF Gambia office said in a statement on Tuesday.
It said the supplies were procured and delivered by UNICEF with funding provided by the United States of America through USAID.
The assistance is part of the $2 million project funded by the US to help The Gambia with vaccines, communication and community engagement and the provision of essential health and water, sanitation, hygiene services, and access to safe water.
“These supplies will contribute immensely in our efforts to protect more people, including our frontline heroes, from COVID-19 and other diseases and deliver better services for the people of The Gambia,” said Dr. Ahmadou Lamin Samateh, Minister of Health of The Gambia.
“The Ministry of Health has made strong gains in bringing the virus under control, with more than 20% of the population now vaccinated thanks to our great teams and the support of our partners, including the US government and UNICEF.”
Sharon L Cromer, United States Ambassador to The Gambia, said: “As part of our ongoing partnership to help preserve the good health and future of the Gambian people, this donation is the latest of many forms of assistance provided by the United States.”
In addition to this latest contribution, the US has donated more than 440,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccines to The Gambia through the COVAX programme.
The funds provided by the United States through USAID have also helped the Ministry of Health and UNICEF work with other partners to reach more than 500,000 people across the country, providing water, sanitation and hygiene services, training to health workers in more than 50 health facilities, and engaging more than 2,000 young people and religious leaders on COVID-19 prevention and vaccination.
“Health workers need the right tools and resources to save lives and families need vital health and hygiene services to live a healthy life,” said Gordon Jonathan Lewis, UNICEF The Gambia Representative.
He said these supplies are urgently needed in health facilities and communities to deliver quality health care and will also go a long way to help families affected by the recent floods with essential hygiene services and safe water.
