Health authorities and the WHO Country Office today held a fruitful meeting to discuss progress made and lessons learnt during implementation of the Programme Budget 2014-2015 as well as charting the way forward for the smooth implementation of the current Programme Budget 2016-2017. The meeting also provided an opportunity for the WHO team to brief health officials on the new AFRO Transformation Agenda, the new Hand-book on WHO Business Rules and the new WHO Country Co-operation Strategy.

The meeting brought together 61 participants including virtually all the senior health officials including the Minister of Health, Permanent Secretary, Programme Directors and Mangers, Regional Health Directors and Chief Executive Officers of the Hospitals as well as the WHO Representative and his team - Programme Officers and the Country Support staff.

In a brief statement, the WHO Representative, Dr. Charles SA-GOE-MOSES, described the meeting as an important event not only to take stock of what was done in 2014-15 biennium but to critically reflect on the impact of our activities on the health and well-being of the Gambian people.

“Have our interventions saved lives? Have we reduced maternal and childhood morbidity and mortality?” These are some of the critical questions Dr. SAGOE-MOSES posed to the audience to reflect on in order to do our work even better and produce the desired results during the cur-rent biennium 2016-2017

In his opening statement, the Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Hon. Omar Sey, thanked WHO for the overall support it is rendering to the health sector and for facilitating such a useful meeting. He said that even though a lot had been achieved during the biennium 2015-2014, which registered an implementation rate of 97%, there is room for improvement to do even better in the current biennium. The Hon. Minister also assured the WHO team that his Ministry remains committed to implementing the WHO transformation agenda by ensuring its business rules are strictly adhered to.

Following the statements, participants discussed intensively the progress made in the following categories: Communicable diseases; Non-communicable diseases; promoting health through the life course; health systems and polio eradication. The following are some of the key outcomes and recommendations emerged from the discussions: 

1. Participants briefed on some of key issues in the new transformation agenda and WHO business rules

2. Consensus built and mechanisms established in ensuring timely disbursement and retirement/ accountability of funds; timely submission of financial and technical reports and greater accountability and efficiency in the use of available resources.

3. Consensus built and mechanisms identified for the implementation of the national health strategic plan through finalization of the requisite operational plan.

4. To effectively monitor implementation of the POA, it is recommended that MoH and WHO establish a platform for regular consultation.

For more information, please contact:

Mr. Momodou Gassama, Health Promotion Officer,  gassamam [at] who.int—(+220)- 4462286

Mr. George. Williams, Health Information Assistant,  williamsg [at] who.int—(+220) 4462284