Africa-Press – Gambia. Dr. Ismaila Ceesay, Minister of Information, Media, and Broadcasting Services, has provided an update on the ongoing renovation project for Chamen Health Center and three other health facilities, affirming that the project remains active and is currently awaiting approval from the African Development Bank (AfDB).
Speaking during an interview with West Coast Radio, Dr. Ceesay confirmed that the renovation efforts for Chamen Health Center, Brikama District Hospital, Foday Kunda Health Center, and Yorubawol Health Center are progressing as planned.
“With regard to the renovation of Chamen Health Center and three other health facilities, Brikama District Hospital, Foday Kunda Health Center, and Yorubawal Health Center, the process is still,” he stated.
Dr. Ceesay further explained that the Ministry of Health, in collaboration with the National Social Protection Agency (NSP), is overseeing the technical aspects necessary to advance the project.
“The Ministry of Works and Infrastructure, through the National Social Protection Agency, has done the assignment and submitted the initial drawings to the Minister of Health for review. The minister of health has done the review and submitted it back to the Ministry of Works with comments, which they are now incorporating into the final drawings,” he said.
Addressing delays, the minister noted that the Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) report experienced some setbacks but has since been finalized and submitted to the AfDB for consideration.
“There was a little delay in the environmental and social impact assessment report, which has been finalized and submitted to the African Development Bank, which is funding this project,” Dr. Ceesay confirmed.
He added that once the AfDB approves the final designs, the project will proceed to the tendering and construction phases.
“According to NSP, the final drawings will soon be submitted to the AFDB for the board to review and approve by the end of June 2025. Once approval is granted, the tendering process will commence, and then the work will start,” he explained.
The minister’s update follows a controversy earlier this year when the Ministry of Health initially approved a diaspora club’s proposal to construct a maternity ward at Chamen Health Center in July 2024. However, this approval was later revoked after the ministry secured a grant from the AfDB to construct new buildings and upgrade existing facilities at the center.
In response, representatives of the diaspora club alleged political interference in the ministry’s decision, claiming that local politicians with close ties to the government influenced the reversal.
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