Despite the progress made in controlling the deadly Ebola Virus Disease epidemic in the West African Sub-region, WHO and the United Nations (UN) System at large have not relented in their efforts to continue supporting the Government of the Gambia in strengthening the health system as well as other facilities to prepare the country for any potential EVD outbreak. Hence, WHO continues to coordinate UN’s efforts in this direction as had been executed since the beginning of national preparedness efforts when the epidemic was “raging” in the sub-region.

To strengthen these efforts the WHO Representative, Dr. Charles Sagoe-Moses and the UN Resident Coordinator, Ms. Ade Mamonyane Lekoetje, together with senior health officials recently visited ongoing construction works on Public Health Emergency Operation center ( PHEOC) at the Ministry of Health Central Medical stores premises in Kotu and Jiboro Point of Entry Health Posts in Western Region II. The main objective of the site visit was to assess and discuss progress made to date in the construction of both the PHEOC and POE, and discuss the way forward.

Both the UNRC and WR expressed their satisfaction with the progress made so far at both locations but advised the contractors not to compromise standards and to ensure that work is completed as scheduled.

It will be recalled that through the technical support of the WHO Country Office, UNDP was able to secure funding from the government of Japan for the construction of six official point of entries, the PHEOC and two isolation facilities in two hospitals as part of the Ebola preparedness and response plan for the Gambia. Construction works in all sites is being supervised by Gam-works and is scheduled to be completed at the end of May 2016. The team was led by the Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Mrs. Saffie Lowe Ceesay and included the Director of Planning, Ministry of Health, Mr. Dawda Ceesay, Incident Manager, Mr. Sana Sambou, WHO Technical Officer for Health Security and Emergencies, Dr. Patrick ABOK; the UNDP technical officer Mr. Abdou Touray and other high ranking ministry of health officials.

______________________________

For more information, please contact:

Mr. Momodou Gassama, Health Promotion Officer,  gassamam [at] who.int (gassamam[at]who[dot]int), (+220)- 4462286

Mr. George. Williams, Health Information Assistant,    williamsg [at] who.int (williamsg[at]who[dot]int), (+220) 4462284