UNFPA presents motorcycles and other equipment to the Ministry of Health to support COVID- 19 Response

Banjul, 15 April 2020 – UNFPA The Gambia has presented 10 motorcycles, helmets and other
equipment to the Ministry of Health, as part of efforts to strengthen COVID-19 surveillance and
contact tracing.
The Honourable Minister of Health, Dr Ahmadou Lamin Samateh expressed government’s
appreciation of UNFPA’s support to the country’s development agenda and particularly the
current support to the National COVID-19 Response Plan.

“The donation of these motorcycles will go a long way in enhancing our ability to carry out contact
tracing during these COVID-19 times. UNFPA has been standing by the government and people
of The Gambia for the last four decades and we recognise the work they are doing especially in
the area of strengthening continuity of delivering essential sexual, reproductive, maternal and
new-born health care services. The recent renovation of the theatre at the Essau District Hospital
is one such example.”

Since the announcement of the first confirmed case of COVID-19 in The Gambia, there has been
a need to keep the public informed, and ensure surveillance efforts are strengthened. This has
been on going and the Ministry of Health continues to receive support from its partners to deliver
this.

“We want to reassure the general public that the Ministry of Health and its partners are working
very hard to contain COVID-19 in the country.”
UNFPA The Gambia Country Representative, Kunle Adeniyi believes the donated items will
facilitate active contact tracing which is key to the containment of COVID-19 in The Gambia.
“Early detection and isolation of cases is critical in the effort to interrupt the transmission of the
Coronavirus in our communities. Today as one of our many collective efforts in the UN and as
UNFPA to support the immediate response, we have provided these motorcycles for surveillance
and contact tracing in our communities with a view to limiting human to human transmission and
ultimately returning us to our normal way of life as soon as possible.”
UNFPA and the wider UN system in The Gambia continue to work with the government and
partners to contribute towards the fight against COVID-19 through identified strategic priorities.

“We commit to this process, we are with the government and the people of The Gambia and we
will especially continue investing in efforts that will keep vulnerable people including – women,
young people and adolescents protected from COVID-19 and also ensure the continuity of
essential health services, including antenatal care and family planning services.” Mr. Adeniyi
called on all to support the Government’s effortsto contain the spread of the virus and the effect on the nation by adhering to the guidelines on handwashing and social-distancing issued by the Ministry of Health and partners.

UNFPA – The United Nations Population Fund is the agency charged with the mission to deliver
a world where every pregnancy is wanted, every childbirth is safe and every young person’s
potential is fulfilled. To achieve this, the agency works towards realizing three transformative
results:
 Ending unmet need for family planning
 Ending preventable maternal death
 Ending gender-based violence and harmful practices
Media contact:
Haddy Jonga
Programme Analyst – Communications, UNFPA The Gambia