National Health Policy 2012-2020.

This National Health Policy, in line with the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), especially those related to health and some National Policies and Strategies, aims at accomplishing the goal of a three-quarters decline in maternal mortality and a two-thirds decline in mortality among children under five and at reversing the spread of HIV/AIDS and at providing special assistance to AIDS orphans. Health, along with education and nutrition, is considered as one of the key elements of human capital stock formation and of socioeconomic development. The implementation of this Policy’s measures concerns the reduction of morbidity and mortality of major diseases and health risks and exposures associated with negative environmental consequences, the promotion of healthy lifestyle.
Inspired by these guiding principles, gender equity, cultural and local tradition identity, information disclosure, access to emergency services, the Policy identifies the following main factors contributing to the high impact on the health status of the population: poverty, unhealthy environment, unsafe working conditions, poor sanitation, poor nutrition, road traffic accidents, poor access to safe water and poor housing. Therefore, the Policy provides for health care programmes and strategies: promotion of environmental health and security, including: water distribution and sanitation systems, public hygiene activities and removal of household waste, management of hazardous chemicals and pesticides, activities providing food supplements to people; health promotion and education; expanded programme on immunisation, including vaccine security for all vaccine preventable diseases; communicable disease control and related epidemic disaster management preparedness; reduction of non-communicable diseases risk factors among Gambian population, through the promotion of healthy behaviours, lifestyles and appropriate care; health financing programmes.