The Ministry of Health has secured a $30 million grant from the International Development Association (IDA) to “improve the quality and utilization of essential health services in the country”.

“The World Bank Board of Executive Directors have approved a $30 million grant from the International Development Association (IDA) to improve the quality and utilization of essential health services in The Gambia.

 “The Essential Health Services Strengthening Project will provide performance-based financing grants to health facilities, scale-up community engagement to improve utilization of quality health services, and build resilient and sustainable health systems to support the delivery of quality health services,”  The Gambia government said in a press statement. 

“This will include the renovation of selected health facilities and the establishment of a national blood transfusion service. 

“The project will build on the success of the Maternal and Child Nutrition and Health Results project and the ongoing COVID-19 Preparedness and Response project to improve access and use of primary health care services for all in The Gambia.”

It added: “In the long term, the project is expected to help reduce maternal and child mortality, therefore contributing to the improvement of The Gambia’s Human Capital Index.”

Reporting by Adama Makasuba