BANJUL, 23 August 2017: As part of preparations in the formulation of the Programme Budget for the next biennium, officials from the WHO Country Office and the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare have participated in a one-day meeting to review the Plan of Action for 2018-219.

This came as a result of a systematic assessment of the country’s health priorities and extensive discussions between Programme Officers of the two institutions. It was held on 14th August, 2017 at the Baobab Hotel in Banjul.

The WHO Representative a.i. Prof. Jean-Marie Dangou welcome participants from the different programmes and emphasized the importance of this meeting that will spell out the operational planning process for the coming two years.

He noted that this Programme Budget will be the last in the Twelfth General Programme of Work (GPW) which covers 2014-2019.

WR emphasized that GPW provides a high-level strategic vision on the work of WHO which aims to improve results-based programming, management, accountability and transparency while enhancing resource mobilization. He reminded the gathering of WCO being the secretariat’s accountability through inputs, activities and outputs as well as joint responsibility through outcomes and impact.

WR advised the team to prioritize the priorities and come up with realistic interventions to achieve results bearing in mind that Donor funding has decreased and that calls for making resource mobilization a priority.

Prof. Dangou also guided the team to WHO’s operations, highlighting the Transformation Agenda as a vision and strategy aimed at improving organizational effectiveness and performance at country level, guided by Key Performance Indicators (KPI) to monitor performance and increase capacity to report on that performance.

He congratulated the team for some of the successes recorded in their interventions, notably on Tobacco control and reduction in malaria.

The newly appointed Permanent Secretary (PS), Dr. Cherno Omar Barry, deputizing for the Hon. Minister hailed the Health Ministry as one of the sectors that has achieved great success and that he was proud to be associated with the team. He expressed delight that this activity was taking place when he is familiarizing himself with the sector. He reminded the team that only healthy minds can move a nation forward.

PS Barry re-echoed WR’s statement on “prioritizing” as now is the time for proper planning with clear objectives set for a smooth implementation of activities. He advised colleagues to include more preventive interventions that will guide the public of how to take care of their own health. He encouraged the team to come up with a good draft which he will scrutinize.

He expressed gratitude to WHO for continuing to be a true partner, noting that the Joint Programme of Work will further strengthen the relationship.

Mr. Momodou Ceesay (HEC) presented on the orientation and guidance for the finalization of activities for PB 2018 -2019. He reviewed the core priorities in the 12th GPW which covers advancing Universal Health Coverage, Health related Sustainable Development Goals, addressing the challenge of noncommunicable diseases, implementing the provisions of the International Health Regulations, increasing access to essential, high quality and affordable medical products, addressing the social, economic and environmental determinants of health as a means of reducing health inequities within and between countries.

He highlighted the areas of inter-related priorities between the WHO global and regional medium term objectives and the country health goals as found in the National Health Sector Strategic Plan (2014 – 2020) and the WHO Country Cooperation Strategy (2016 – 2020)

The WHO Core functions, the PB 2018-19 deliverables and the selected outputs and draft activities submitted by Programme Managers in MOHSW were presented in an Xcel template and participants were given specific tasks for gaining consensus on the activities through the group work session. The team later divided into groups to select and review activities as well as provide the budget estimates for activities where possible and this was followed by plenary presentations and discussions

Following groups work and plenary discussions, a complete draft was developed and shared. The two teams agreed on main products and services to be jointly delivered aiming at strengthening the health system in the Gambia. The PS in his closing remarks stressed the need to fine tune the agreed inputs, activities and outputs for better outcomes and impact.

He advocated for better integration of activities and a multisectoral approach where needed. The WR, Prof Dangou called for more inputs and comments as the process of finalization and transferring the workplan into the GSM is ongoing until the scheduled deadline of mid – September 2017.

A total of 35 outputs have been selected from the Programme Budget 2018-29 including in the following areas:

Communicable Diseases category (9 outputs) – HIV/AIDs, Hepatitis, Tuberculosis, Malaria, Neglected Tropical Diseases, vaccine preventable diseases, and Anti-Microbacterial Resistance.

Noncommunicable diseases category (6 outputs) in the areas of NDCs, risk factors management, road safety, mental health, nutrition and road safety.

Promoting Health through the life course category (4 outputs) – prevention of maternal and perinatal deaths, new born and child health strategies, health and the environment, and social determinants of health.

Health Systems category (5 outputs) – health policies and Strategic Plans, Health Financing for UHC, Human resources for health, Health technologies supplies , Medicines and blood regulation.

Polio Category has one output – Polio containment and certification for eradication whilst the Health emergencies category has two outputs on implementation of emergency plans and IHR(2005).

The rest of the outputs fall under WHO Corporate services and enabling Functions.