The Gambia CCM

19/11/2025

The GFCT continues its engagement with the HIV prevention program at Action Aid in collaboration with GAMNASS and Innovarx, where presentations were delivered and focused on grant implementation, financial progress, priorities for 2026, challenges encountered, and proposed solutions.
The National Malaria Control Program (NMCP) also presented the results of the ITN (Insecticide-Treated Net) mass campaign, along with updates on Seasonal Malaria Chemoprevention (SMC) and planned studies on surveillance. In the afternoon, the team convened a technical meeting to discuss warehouse implementation.
Additionally, the National AIDS Secretariat (NAS), the National AIDS Control Program (NACP), and the National Tuberculosis Program (NLTP) presented updates on their respective programs, including HIV, PMTCT (Prevention of Mother-to-Child Transmission), TB, and the Resilient and Sustainable Systems for Health (RSSH) initiative

18/11/2025

What an inspiring moment for The Gambia! Yesterday, the 18th of November 2025, we proudly welcomed the Global Fund Country Team as part of their in-country mission. The purpose of this visit is to further the ongoing discussions and engagement with stakeholders to optimize the performance of Global Fund investments and achieve greater impact.

The team paid a courtesy call to the Country Coordinating Mechanism (CCM), where they met with the CCM executive, the Local Fund Agent (LFA), the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Health (MoH), and other relevant stakeholders. In this meeting, the mission's objectives were presented, the agenda reviewed, and confirmed. The CCM Secretariat also provided a brief presentation on its operations, oversight, communication, partnerships, and engagement strategies. After this presentation, the team expressed their excitement about the CCM operations, especially the Oversight, rating it as one of the most useful Oversight.

The mission will continue until Thursday, with several meetings scheduled with Principal Recipients (PRs), Sub-Recipients (SRs), the Ministry of Health, and other relevant stakeholders. A debriefing update will also be provided on Friday for the general members of the CCM.

13/11/2025

The Oversight team continues its visits to various facilities within the West Coast Region. They were in Faji K***a, Sere K***a, Brufut, Bakau, and Kanifing General Hospital over the past two days. So far, all the facilities visited have been doing a great job, and successful stories were shared regarding antenatal testing with the triple elimination strategy and the subsequent treatment for those in need (test and treat), as agreed upon in the GC7.

11/11/2025

The CCM Oversight Committee began its routine quarterly visit for the third quarter of 2025 on November 10th in the West Coast Region.

The purpose of this visit is to focus on the PMTCT Program, specifically regarding hepatitis testing and treatment. This is outlined in the current grant, which emphasizes that the elimination of HIV, syphilis, and hepatitis B should be integrated into PMTCT prevention efforts. Therefore, every antenatal woman needs to be tested for hepatitis B and treated if the results are positive.

The Oversight Committee aims to assess the progress of the program, identify any challenges, and engage with beneficiaries, implementing partners, and regional health authorities to strengthen service delivery. Additionally, the visit seeks to enhance accountability and improve program performance. Pictures were taken at the Kafuta, Sibanor, and Sintet Minor Health Centers.

28/10/2025

OPENING OF A NEW DOT CENTER FOR TUBERCULOSIS AT THE POLICE INTERVENTION UNIT
Today, the 28th of October 2025, the National Leprosy and Tuberculosis Control Programme (NLTCP), in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and various partners, officially launched a new Directly Observed Treatment (DOT) Center at the Police Intervention Unit (PIU) in Kanifing.
This significant event was attended by the Permanent Secretary of Health, the Director of Health Services, the Program Manager of the National Leprosy and Tuberculosis Control Program, the Director of Regional Health Directorate Western 1, WHO representatives, the Director of Health Promotion and Education, the Director of the National AIDS Secretariat, the Assistant Inspector General of Police, and many other important stakeholders.

The initiative aims to provide tuberculosis (TB) services closer to law enforcement personnel and the surrounding communities, ensuring timely diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up for everyone affected. The establishment of this center marks an important step in The Gambia’s efforts to combat TB and promote healthier communities through accessible, patient-centered care.
Among the speakers, the Assistant Inspector General of Police read a speech on behalf of the Inspector General of Police, highlighting the significance of these services within the security sector. He noted that security officers are vulnerable to various health risks while performing their duties. He further mentioned that the police clinic has been enhanced and is now upgraded compared to some other health facilities. The Assistant IGP emphasized that the staff would be committed not only to providing quality services to security personnel but also to the surrounding communities. He concluded by acknowledging that these achievements would not have been possible without the tremendous support from the Ministry of Health, the National Leprosy and Tuberculosis Control Program, the Regional Health Directorate Western 1, and other key stakeholders, expressing appreciation for their efforts.

The Program Manager of NLTP, the Director of the National AIDS Secretariat, and the Permanent Secretary of Health all concluded their speeches by thanking and commending the Global Fund for its continuous support to the Gambian government and people in the fight against malaria, TB, and HIV. This initiative has been funded through the current GC7 grant from the Global Fund.

The CCM would like to extend its gratitude to the leadership of the PIU, the Ministry of Health through the HIV and TB program, and all other partners for their collaboration and support in making this initiative a success. Together, we are building a healthier Gambia, and “Together We Can End TB.”

Today, October 28, 2025, the National Leprosy and Tuberculosis Control Program (NLTCP), in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and various partners, officially launched a new Directly Observed Treatment (DOT) Center at the Police Intervention Unit (PIU) in Kanifing.

23/10/2025

The CCM oversight committee convened at the CCM conference hall on Thursday, October 16, 2025, to discuss the HIV prevention program under the AAITG and its new sub-recipient, Innovax. The objective of the meeting was to engage with the Principal Recipient (PR) of the HIV prevention program regarding the significant success they have documented in the Key Populations (KP) program since the termination of the contract with the former sub-recipient. They shared their remarkable achievements with the oversight committee and the new sub-recipient to document the lessons learned for successful implementation moving forward.

18/10/2025

This is a summary of a courtesy call meeting that took place on the 16th October 2025 with the Secretary General of ActionAid International, Mr. Arthur Larok, and the head of Africa ActionAid International, Ms. Tinebeb Berhane Gebremeskel, and the CCM executive members. The purpose of this visit is to meet with ActionAid International (AAI) partners residing in The Gambia, as part of the commemoration of Action Aid International's 46 years of existence in the country, and to officially launch the Sixth Country Strategy Paper, which was launched yesterday at the Sir Dawda Kairaba Conference Center.

During the meeting, the HIV program under Action Aid International, The Gambia (AAITG) shared a success story about its HIV prevention initiatives, particularly focusing on the program targeting key populations.

06/10/2025

01/10/2025

Starting Monday, the 29th, relevant stakeholders, including the Ministry of Health, Ministry of Finance, PCU, LFA, CCM, internal audits, NAS, and its SRs, were meeting with a consultant at the CCM conference to discuss the transition of the HIV grant to a single Principal Recipient (PR), the Ministry of Health.
Expertise France has commissioned this consultant to lead the mission, which involves assessing the Ministry of Health's capacity and guiding its transition to become the PR for the GC8 grant. The primary focus is on engaging key stakeholders, facilitating a diagnostic workshop, and building consensus on the organizational model and transition roadmap necessary for the Ministry of Health to be fully prepared for PR responsibilities.

The objective of the meeting is to explore options for the future organizational model of the Ministry of Health as a unified PR. In-person diagnostic workshops to cover finance, risk assessment, procurement, supply chain management, and monitoring and evaluation (M&E) systems. These workshops will help identify and prioritize capacity gaps, map potential support from partners, engage the transition task force in defining its roles and decision points, and validate preliminary findings with all stakeholders while agreeing on next steps.

Ultimately, this workshop will help the country assess its readiness for this crucial transition milestone and make informed decisions about establishing an efficient system thereafter.

24/09/2025

SEASONAL MALARIA CHEMOPREVENTION CAMPAIGN (SMC) 2025 CYCLE 1 COMPLETED.

The National Malaria Control Program, under the Ministry of Health, along with its partners, successfully completed the first cycle of the Seasonal Malaria Chemoprevention (SMC) campaign in the Western II and LLR health regions from the 19th to the 23rd.

SMC is a public health strategy recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO) to prevent malaria in children living in areas with high seasonal transmission, particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa. SMC involves administering antimalarial drugs to children under the age of 3 months to 5 years at monthly intervals during the malaria transmission season, typically coinciding with the rainy season. This approach protects children from malaria by:
- Clearing any existing infections
- Preventing new infections for approximately 28 days

Standard SMC Regimen
The standard SMC regimen includes the following medications:
- Sulfadoxine–pyrimethamine (SP)
- Amodiaquine (AQ)

These drugs are given together once a month for up to 4 months, depending on the duration of the malaria season.

Importance of SMC
SMC can prevent up to 75% of malaria cases in children during the transmission season, leading to a reduction in hospital admissions, severe malaria cases, and deaths. Additionally, it is cost-effective and easy to implement at the community level.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS:
KUDOS TO EVERYONE WHO CONTRIBUTED TO THE SUCCESS OF THE CAMPAIGN, INCLUDING ALL LEVELS OF SUPERVISORS AND VOLUNTEERS FOR THEIR TREMENDOUS PERFORMANCE.

04/08/2025

The Country Coordinating Mechanism (CCM) conducted a successful quarterly oversight field visit across the Upper River, Central River, Lower River, and western regions from July 28 to August 4, 2025. The purpose of this visit was to oversee the Global Fund (GF) funded programs, assess progress, identify challenges, and provide the necessary support to enhance performance.

This visit is part of ongoing efforts to strengthen transparency, accountability, and community engagement in the national response to HIV and malaria. a.
During the visit, the oversight team engaged with key stakeholders, including Regional Health Teams and health facility staff. The team assessed the delivery of HIV and malaria prevention, treatment, care, and support services, and also gathered valuable feedback on challenges and successes at the grassroots level.

22/07/2025

Day 2 of the training session for the Oversight members on the key oversight priorities of GC7, and also an overview of the GC7 grants, highlighting core intervention areas, results, challenges, and lessons learned from the programs.