By Olimatou Coker
The Gambia Red Cross Society, in partnership with the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, recently donated antimalarial medicine worth over D11 million to the ministry of health.
The medicines funded by the China International Development Cooperation Agency were handed to the minister of health at the Kotu Central Medical Stores.
The project titled “Accelerating malaria elimination in The Gambia”, is implemented by GRCS and partners focusing primarily on the implementation of Seasonal Malaria Chemoprevention (SMC) in Kombo North District, West Coast Region, targeting 70,000 children aged 3-59 months.
As part of preparations for this life-saving intervention, GRCS through IRC has procured 279,800 blisters of antimalarial medicines valued at over USD150,000 to support four rounds of SMC deliveries.
Ebou Faye Njie, Secretary General of the Gambia Red Cross Society, said the project is designed to strengthen national malaria elimination efforts and aims to reach approximately 420,000 people.
He said the project particularly focuses on protecting children less than 5 years of age in Kombo North.
“The delivery of this medicine marks a significant milestone in our collective efforts to achieve a malaria free Gambia. Additionally, the project will finance the operational cost of the implementation of 4 CMS circles during the 2025 malaria season in Kombo North District,” he said.
He said the Gambia Red Cross Society (GRCS) continus to be a key partner to the ministry of health.
“We remain committed to supporting national public health programmes and interventions. One of these partnerships is the launching of the accelerating malaria elimination in The Gambia project in April 2025,” he stated.
Charles Businge, IFRC Regional Director for Africa at the International Federation of the Red Cross, said the SMS drugs when properly administered will mark a significant reduction in the number of malaria cases.
“This is a moment of reaffirmation of our collective commitment to protecting the health of the most vulnerable populations in The Gambia especially children under 5, who continue to bear the brunt of the malaria burden registered during the rainy season,” he added.
Lamin Dampha, PS Ministry of Health, said the drugs would greatly aid efforts at ending malaria in The Gambia.
Consular Zan Tong, a representative from the Chinese Embassy, said health remains a top priority in The Gambia-China cooperation.
