National stakeholder consultations took place on 14 October 2026 to identify measures to reduce maternal mortality in The Gambia. Dr Yusupha Touray, speaking on behalf of the Minister of Health, addressed the assembly regarding current progress. "Despite significant efforts, maternal mortality ratio remains above the Sustainable Development Goal target of less than 70 per 100,000 in our population," Dr Yusupha Touray stated. This international framework establishes a requirement to reduce maternal mortality to fewer than 70 deaths per 100,000 live births by 2030. Participants reviewed existing data and systemic challenges to align local health strategies with these global requirements. Government officials and partners now shift their focus toward implementing the identified measures to reach the 2030 objective.
Regional and Global Health Crisis
Global health data indicates that approximately 800 women die each day worldwide from preventable causes related to pregnancy and childbirth. Mamadou Dicko, the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) The Gambia Representative, addressed the scale of this loss. "Every day, women across our region lose their lives while giving life," Mamadou Dicko stated.
Regional statistics for West and Central Africa reflect these heightened risks. A woman dies from pregnancy-related complications in these areas approximately every four minutes. These figures provide the context for national efforts to address maternal health outcomes. The data shows the urgency of systemic interventions to prevent avoidable deaths within the region. Local health authorities continue to monitor these trends as part of a broader commitment to improving maternal survival rates.
Strategic National Health Priorities
The Ministry of Health’s National Health Sector Strategic Plan for 2026–2030 establishes a primary focus on addressing unmet family planning needs and preventing avoidable maternal deaths. This policy framework seeks to align national resources with the objective of reducing deaths associated with pregnancy and childbirth. Data from the 2019–2020 Gambia Demographic and Health Survey provides a baseline for these efforts, reporting a maternal mortality ratio of 289 deaths per 100,000 live births.
Mamadou Dicko, the UNFPA The Gambia Representative, framed these institutional goals during the consultation process. "We must therefore recognise that preventable maternal mortality is not solely a health-sector challenge; it is a national development challenge that requires national leadership and collective responsibility," Mamadou Dicko stated.
Baboucarr Jobe, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Finance and Economic Affairs, confirmed that the government intends to integrate these health outcomes into broader fiscal policy. "For the Ministry of Finance and Economic Affairs, maternal health is a matter of national planning, public investment, sound economic management, and it is a priority we are prepared to stand behind in our budgeting decisions," Baboucarr Jobe said.
Implementation of the new health priorities includes specific infrastructure and technology agreements. The Gambian government has signed new projects with the African Development Bank and Germany’s KfW development bank to expand complex-care capacity and digital ambulance systems. These agreements aim to improve the responsiveness of emergency medical services and increase the availability of specialized care for expectant mothers.
Dr Fatoumatta Dibba, the Deputy Director of Health Financing at the Ministry of Health, noted the collaborative nature of this initiative with international agencies. "We shouldn’t be left behind, and the Ministry of Health, together with UNFPA and our very strong partners, decided to sell this idea to the Ministry of Health, and we welcomed it with open arms," Dr Fatoumatta Dibba stated. Government departments and their development partners now work to integrate these digital systems and facility expansions into the national health infrastructure.