BANJUL, 17 June 2014 - The United Nation System in The Gambia through the World Health Organization (WHO) on Tuesday presented an assortment of medical items and other supplies to the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare in Banjul in support of national Ebola preparedness and response efforts. The items included more than 42 boxes with 4000 sets  of personal protective equipment, 2000 copies of posters on the prevention and control of  Ebola Virus Disease (EVD), 25000 copies of leaflets on EVD, 2000 copies of fact sheets on EVD guidelines for health workers and 200 copies of EVD of a handbook on Ebola and other hemorrhagic fever.

In addition, the United Nations is providing detergents and other sanitary supplies for infection control, as well as strengthening public awareness and social mobilization through the media, and at the community level. It is also mobilizing further resources to purchase some of the essential drugs needed in an emergency of this nature and to conduct cascade training for health workers in all the health regions to further equip our frontline workers.

Speaking at the presentation ceremony held at the WHO Country Office, Dr. Charles Sagoe-Moses, the WHO Representative in The Gambia, expressed delight on behalf of the UN system to present the items to the Minister of Health, so as to further consolidate the UN’s support to the on-going preparatory measures

He commended the Gambia government for its timely response to the Ebola situation in the neighboring countries, as manifested by the number of preparatory measures put in place to prepare the country for this deadly disease Dr. Sagoe-Moses noted that The United Nations believes that an emergency of this nature poses far-reaching health, economic and social implications to individuals, families, the health system and the country at large, and that the country must be adequately prepared for this.  This was why the UN deemed it fit to respond as a single entity to these challenges, rather than intervening within individual domains, he further stated, adding that WHO was tasked to coordinate this effort.

He highlighted some of the interventions already undertaken by the UN in support to the development and implementation off a National Ebola Virus Disease Preparedness and Response Plan; Training of Trainers for doctors and nurses; briefing of the Gambia Medical and Dental Council and briefing doctors and other health workers at Edward Francis Small Teaching Hospital (EFSTH). 

He finally reaffirmed The United Nations commitment to supporting The Gambia in all its efforts to prepare for the Ebola virus disease. In receiving the donated items, Hon. Omar Sey, Minister for Health and Social Welfare described the donation as “Very Timely”. He stressed the importance of close collaboration between the UN system and Health Ministry, and thanked the UN through WHO for their support to the government of The Gambia.

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Contacts: :  Mr. Momodou Gassama, Health Promotion Officer,  gassamam [at] gm.afro.who.int —(+220)- 4462286;  Mr. George. Williams, Health Information Assistant,    williamsg [at] who.int —(+220) 4462284