Gambia

Key Results in 2022-2023

Access to services for the prevention of vertical transmission of HIV improved through capacity building of healthcare professionals and expansion of services in five regions.
More than 100 people living with HIV from community groups in four regions received training on health and nutrition to facilitate peer education, establish community networks and scale up support services.
Gambia launched the Education Plus initiative to expand HIV prevention services and empower adolescent girls and young women with an investment case aimed at strengthening the sustainability of the programme.
US$ 23 million was mobilized from the Global Fund grant cycle 7 to implement HIV, sexual and reproductive health and tuberculosis programmes in 2024-2027.

Joint Programme Results

In 2022-2023, the Joint Programme support in Gambia yielded considerable results in reinforcing HIV prevention services and education, including for the prevention of vertical transmission. For instance, 115 pregnant women and mothers living with HIV accessed HIV counselling and testing services in the North Bank region (UNFPA); and 116 healthcare workers from five regions improved their capacity of delivering services for the prevention of vertical transmission and early infant diagnosis, including HIV testing and counselling and paediatric treatment management through trainings supported by the Joint Programme (UNICEF). A total of 100 000 HIV testing kits and over 724 000 male condoms were procured and delivered to the Central Medical Stores for distribution through the healthcare system. In addition, nearly 4000 condoms were dispensed at Niaba Kunda Youth Centre, while over 10 000 pieces were distributed during a workplace event in North Bank (UNFPA).

The Joint Programme supported the revision and/or adoption of stronger national HIV prevention policies and strategies for combination prevention for key populations and other priority groups. Moreover, new operational HIV testing guidelines, which now integrate innovative approaches, including index testing, HIV-self testing and recency testing, were rolled out. During the World AIDS Day commemorations, over 110 000 people across the country accessed HIV testing and counselling services through various community outreach initiatives. Gambia also rolled out pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) and HIV self-testing services for gay men and other men who have sex with men and female sex workers following trainings of healthcare workers (UNAIDS Secretariat). Besides, 122 professionals, including healthcare workers, laboratory technicians and pharmacy representatives shared best practices and experiences to improve access and quality of HIV services across the country, thanks to the technical and financial support from the Joint Programme.

HIV incidence per 1000 uninfected populations

Source: AIDSinfo

AIDS mortality per 1000 population

Source: AIDSinfo

Progress towards 95-95-95 targets

Source: AIDSinfo

Around 1000 people with disabilities received technical and financial support to raise awareness of HIV prevention, treatment, care and support services and promote a healthy lifestyle (UNICEF, UNAIDS Secretariat). Similarly, representatives of people living with HIV support groups nationwide identified opportunities and bottlenecks in accessing HIV prevention, treatment and support services and charted ways to address these challenges during a series of dialogues supported by the Joint Programme. The Joint Programme also supported assessments of the national HIV response, including on gender, the legal environment and human rights. These assessments informed efforts towards removing or amending punitive and discriminatory laws and policies and/or developing protective ones; further integrating gender equality and human rights in the national HIV response; and meaningfully engaging women in all their diversity together with men (UNAIDS Secretariat).

Over 3000 vulnerable pregnant and breastfeeding women and girls living with HIV in three regions received specialized nutritious food to improve their health outcomes, retain those in need of treatment as well as tackle inequalities in the access to food. In addition, 103 people living with HIV from community groups in four regions gained better knowledge of nutritious diets and health to help them educate their peers; establish and enhance community networks; and strengthen peer support, thanks to a two-day session co-organized by the Joint Programme and the National AIDS Control Programme (WFP).

Gambia developed an investment case to support costing, resource mobilization and the overall implementation of the newly launched Education Plan initiative through technical support from the Joint Programme. The investment case will also help build critical minimum knowledge and consensus among leaders, adolescents, young people and communities on the disproportional adverse impacts of HIV in adolescent girls and young women; promote an enabling environment, and foster synergies across the country (UNICEF, UNFPA, UNESCO, UNAIDS Secretariat).

Strategic technical support and coordination by the Joint Programme enabled Gambia to mobilize US$ 23 million from the Global Fund grant cycle 7 using strategic evidence for implementation of HIV, sexual and reproductive health and rights and tuberculosis programmes for the 2024-2027 implementation period. The National HIV/AIDS Strategic Plan as well as the monitoring and evaluation plan for 2023-2028 were also reviewed and updated through technical support from the Joint Programme (UNAIDS Secretariat).