The Government of Gambia has taken a significant step to boost its health sector by procuring medicines and medical consumables worth over $700 million. This procurement is part of the government's annual medical procurement programme, aimed at making essential health products available to all Gambians. The consignments have been arriving progressively since April and are being received and handled through the Central Medical Store in Kotu for storage and onward distribution to health facilities.
Seven containers of medical supplies have been received recently, with additional consignments still on the way. According to officials, the procurement exercise has been ongoing since the beginning of the year and is aimed at bringing vital health services to the doorstep of every citizen. The government has been working to ensure that essential health products are available to all citizens, and this procurement is a significant step towards achieving this goal.
Njundu Jatta, a clinical pharmacist at the National Pharmaceutical Services under the Ministry of Health, provided an overview of the supplies. He explained that deliveries are still arriving due to delays from suppliers, which has resulted in some health facilities not having most of the items. However, he expressed hope that before the end of the year, most of these items will be available at health facilities.
The medicines have been arriving in batches, with the Ministry receiving a lot of products so far. The monetary value of the procured medicines is over $700 million, and shipments continue to arrive. Jatta said the Ministry has a structured distribution system in place to ensure nationwide coverage, with seven health regions in the country, each having its own medical store.
The Ministry distributes supplies to the regional medical stores, which then distribute to health facilities within their region. To ensure that medicines reach intended beneficiaries, the Ministry uses the Essential Medicines List, a comprehensive list compiled by experts across different health disciplines. This list covers medicines needed to treat almost all conditions, ensuring that patients have access to necessary treatment.
The Ministry is not waiting for the quarterly cycle to distribute supplies; instead, it pushes supplies to facilities immediately when received. This approach ensures that health facilities have access to essential medicines at all times. The Ministry has also diversified its sources of supplies, recently including suppliers from the European Union, in addition to traditional suppliers from India.
The procurement of medicines and medical consumables is a significant step towards achieving the government's goal of making essential health products available to all Gambians. With a structured distribution system in place, the Ministry is confident that it can ensure nationwide coverage and provide access to necessary health services for all citizens.
Key points
- The Gambia government has procured medicines and medical consumables worth over $700 million to boost its health sector.
- The procurement exercise aims to make essential health products available to all Gambians.
- The Ministry has a structured distribution system in place to ensure nationwide coverage.
