Gambian Vice President Dr. Aja Isatou Njie – Saidy on behalf of president Jammeh on the 10 February 2011 at the July 22 square in Banjul Launched the mass ddistribution of Long Lasting Insecticide treated Bed Nets (LLINS). Njie Saidy says “I am singularly honored to launched on behalf of president Jammeh to first nationwide treated Bed nets to Gambians”, as part of Gambia government’s commitment to eradicate malaria. According to her, this number represents the first batch of nets to be supplied directly to all households- adding that the second batch will be 1.5 million nets that, she medical Health facilities. She recalled:” one of the hall marks of the country’s development agenda has always been to wage hear against all diseases, especially the preventable diseases that include the “killer” malaria diseases. “my declaration” operation Eradicate Malaria,” and the subsequent implementation of Indoor residual spraying across the country, demonstrate the commitment of the Gambia government in this important direction”. Madam Njie-Saidy added that gains have been made in the fight against malaria in the country noting that “today’s mass distribution of Impregnated Treated Nets is evident of such rich collaboration”. She pointed out that as government’s commitment scaling up malaria pre-elimination, prevention and control in the Gambia has registered a great success, promising that government will continue in its activities in the fight against malaria disease. She advised Gambians and Non-Gambian’s alike residing in The Gambia to take the nets have been proven to be useful to prevent contact with the malaria carrier mosquito. VP Njie-Saidy went on, “together, and with the continued and added support by all other development partners and collaborations, I am confident that by the year 2015, we will reach and even possibly surpass all our pre-elimination and control targets for all diseases, including malaria in the Gambian soil,” she stated. According to her, the mass campaign is significantly different from other net distribution efforts of the past. Justifying her statement, she said this is the first five that an opportunity is being presented for every Gambian and resident, or every family to sleep under the comfort and full protection of a treated net and eliminate open contact with mosquitoes. She continued,” in the past, distribution have been targeting pregnant women, children and elderly, who, she said are considered to be at a greater risk to he disease than do the rest of the society. In 2007, she recalled, the Gambia has the highest record of ITN use by children under-five and pregnant women in the whole of Africa. She finally reiterated the continued commitment of Gambia government to explore every possible frontier geared towards disease prevention and treatment, and the effective procurement to ensure the timely and all – year round avail ability and supply of drugs as well as every medical testing and related kits needed in our hospitals and health centers. “we will continue to rely on the support of all our partners to promote research in disease diagnosis, prevention and treatment for the food of all in general, and Gambians and residents”. She told the gathering that, the fight against malaria requires the concerted efforts of all and sundry adding that the people on the receiving end, “we should ensure that we reciprocate the food efforts of those that provide the services by making use of them in accordance with the intended purpose”, she advise the gathering. Delivering his speech at the occasion, was Mr. Ahmed Jaegan- Loum Global Fund Country Coordinating Mechanism (CCM) gave brief background of the Global Fund saying that the global fund is a public private partnership established in 2002 with the mandate to fight Aids, Tuberculosis and Malaria, and to mobilize and intensify the international response to three global epidemics and thereby help achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). According to him, from its founding (Global Fud0 through December 2009, the Global Fund Board approved proposals totaling us $19.2 billion, and disbursed US$10 billion for HIV, tuberculosis (TB) and Malaria control efforts. CCM Jaegan – Loum stated that in the Gambia, through the government of the Gambia’s policies in conjunction on with their partners from civil society and private sector to eradicate malaria, the CCM has secured three Global Fund malaria grants, he explained, have been consolidated as one grant under the Global fund’s new architecture of single stream of funding commitment timeliness. He went on, the total grant approved by Global Fund for malaria control in the Gambia is about US$ 20 million with the ministry of Health adding that the Christian relief Society is the principal recipients. These grants, according to Jaegan- Loum aim to build on existing initiatives of the Gambia government on malaria control and prevention. Mr. Jaegan – Loum further called on all stakeholders for their continued support and collaboration saying that “if we are to make any difference in our efforts to eradicate malaria,” he states. He thanked the government of the Gambia in creating a conducive environment, which he added, has made it possible for them to loitress the launching of 700.000 nets in the annual of the health sector.
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