AGP Executive Report

ECOWAS Justice: The ECOWAS Community Court of Justice has sworn in five new judges for four-year non-renewable terms, including Gambian judge Justice Awa Bah, as regional leaders urge impartiality and protection of citizens’ rights. Maternal health & climate: UN data at Pre-COP31 warns that each degree of warming raises preterm birth risk by 5% and gestational diabetes by 7%, with most surveyed midwives and doctors reporting rising heat-related pregnancy cases. Women & health access: President Adama Barrow’s Meet the People Tour in Central River Region North includes a pledge of an extra D50 million for women and contracts for the final phase of CRR North electrification, alongside community calls for clean water and expanded services. Human rights in focus: The UN Human Rights Council extended the Sudan fact-finding mission mandate for another year, condemning attacks on civilians and urging an immediate ceasefire and civilian-led transition. Gambia reparations update: The Reparations Commission says recovered proceeds from Jammeh’s US mansion sale have not yet reached The Gambia, despite a signed transfer agreement. Tobacco control: Illicit cigarette trade remains a health concern regionally, with Gambia listed among countries showing 8.6% illicit cigarette prevalence, linked to enforcement and supply-chain weaknesses. Right to life visit: UN Special Rapporteur Morris Tidball-Binz will visit The Gambia from 5–16 October to assess protections for the right to life and accountability mechanisms. Community development: Residents in Upper Saloum and Sami districts urged faster electricity, better roads, jobs, and stronger health and education services during the presidential tour.

Human Rights & Safety: UN Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions, Morris Tidball-Binz, will visit The Gambia from 5–16 October to assess the right to life, investigate unlawful deaths, and review progress since the democratic transition. Tobacco Control: A Tobacco Control Data Initiative report shows illicit cigarette prevalence in Gambia at 8.6%, highlighting that enforcement and supply-chain vulnerabilities drive the trade. Health Systems & Access: President Adama Barrow pledged an additional D50 million to empower women and announced the final phase of CRR North electrification, with community leaders also calling for expanded electricity and clean water. Public Health & Preparedness: Vice President Muhammad BS Jallow launched The Gambia’s National Early Warning and Response Policy (2026–2035) to strengthen prevention and coordination across government, security services, local authorities, civil society, and communities. Health Innovation: ECOWAS Startup Awards crowned HubPharm Africa as overall winner, with Baykart from The Gambia among the finalists—good news for regional health-tech momentum.

Tobacco Control: Zambia’s illicit cigarette rate is 12.2%, but Gambia is flagged at 8.6%—with imported cigarettes far more likely to be illicit than locally made ones, pointing to enforcement and supply-chain weaknesses. Human Rights: A UN expert on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions, Morris Tidball-Binz, will visit The Gambia from 5–16 October to assess the right to life, accountability, and progress since the TRRC. Community Health & Power: China pledges a 91 million RMB grant for Greater Banjul electricity upgrades as power cuts continue to disrupt clinics, oxygen-dependent care, and daily services. Health Innovation: ECOWAS Startup Awards crowned Nigeria’s HubPharm Africa overall, with Gambia’s Baykart among finalists—highlighting cross-border health-tech momentum. Public Safety Planning: Vice President Muhammad BS Jallow launched The Gambia’s National Early Warning and Response Policy (2026–2035) to improve coordination and faster action on emerging threats. Women & Services: President Barrow announced an additional D50m for women and the final phase of CRR North electrification, following community calls for cleaner water and expanded electricity access.

Women & Power Push: President Adama Barrow pledged an additional D50m to empower Gambian women and announced the final phase of CRR electrification, with contracts awarded to extend electricity to remaining communities in Central River Region North. Meet the People Tour: The President has started a 19-day nationwide “Meet the People” tour, including community meetings and visits to roads and health facilities, urging peaceful, transparent elections and space for citizens to raise concerns on services and the cost of living. Electricity Crisis Impact: A report highlights how power cuts are disrupting clinics, businesses, education and even life-saving care—citing a case where an asthma patient died after an outage affected oxygen during treatment. Health Innovation in the Region: ECOWAS Startup Awards crowned Nigeria’s HubPharm Africa (with a Gambia finalist, Baykart) for a prize focused on tackling human health challenges beyond borders. Early Warning for Crises: Vice President Muhammad BS Jallow launched The Gambia’s National Early Warning and Response Policy (2026–2035) to improve coordination and help prevent threats before they escalate. Global Health & Care Capacity: Merck Foundation marked World Heart Day 2026, expanding scholarships for diabetes and cardiovascular training across Africa and beyond. Human Rights Watch: A UN Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial killings will visit The Gambia from 5–16 October 2026, focusing on the right to life and accountability mechanisms.

ECOWAS Startup Awards (Health Tech): HubPharm Africa (Nigeria) won the $30,000 ECOWAS Startup Awards, with Gambia’s Baykart among the finalists—highlighting regional innovation aimed at tackling health challenges. Power & Health Access: A report warns that electricity cuts across The Gambia are delaying care and can become deadly, including a case where an asthma patient died after oxygen was cut off during treatment. Electricity Relief for Greater Banjul: China pledged a 91 million RMB grant for the Greater Banjul Area Electricity Enhancement Project, as power shortages continue to disrupt daily life. Meet the People Tour (Health Services): President Adama Barrow’s 19-day nationwide tour will include visits to health facilities, with emphasis on listening to community concerns ahead of the December election. Human Rights & Life Protection: A UN expert on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions will visit The Gambia from 5–16 October to assess right-to-life protections, including accountability and medico-legal issues. Health Policy & Preparedness: The Gambia launched a National Early Warning and Response Policy (2026–2035) to strengthen prevention and coordinated response to emerging threats affecting health and wellbeing.

Health & Rights Watch: A UN Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions will visit The Gambia from 5–16 October to assess right-to-life protections, accountability, and progress since the democratic transition, starting in Banjul and Greater Banjul. Election & Services: President Adama Barrow has begun a 19-day “Meet the People” tour ahead of December polls, with community meetings and site visits expected to include health facilities—raising the stakes for whether citizens’ concerns on public services and cost of living are truly heard. Power Cuts Impact: Reports highlight how electricity shortages are disrupting clinics, oxygen supply, education, and livelihoods—turning outages into direct health risks. Regional Health Innovation: ECOWAS Startup Awards crowned HubPharm Africa (with Gambia’s Baykart among top finalists), underscoring cross-border momentum in health-tech solutions. Health System Preparedness: The Gambia launched a National Early Warning and Response Policy (2026–2035) to strengthen prevention and coordination across government, security, local authorities, and communities. Health Workforce & Access: Merck Foundation marked World Heart Day with scholarships and training aimed at boosting diabetes and cardiovascular care capacity across multiple countries.

Electricity & Health Impact: A report highlights how power cuts across The Gambia are disrupting clinics and daily care, including a case where a patient waited two days for a scan because outages stopped an inverter—raising the risk of preventable harm. China–Gambia Health & Power Support: China’s ambassador announced a 91 million RMB grant for Greater Banjul Area electricity enhancement, with pledges that Chinese medical teams are also working to improve local lives. Human Rights Watch: A UN Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial killings will visit The Gambia from 5–16 October to assess right-to-life protections and accountability, meeting government, courts, security bodies, and medico-legal specialists. Health Systems & Workforce: Pharmacists Society of The Gambia marks World Pharmacists Day, while Merck Foundation’s World Heart Day push supports diabetes and cardiovascular training scholarships across Africa. Health Innovation in West Africa: HubPharm Africa won the ECOWAS Startup Awards, with a focus on saving lives and cross-border health solutions. Policy for Prevention: The National Early Warning and Response Policy (2026–2035) was launched to strengthen early threat detection and coordinated crisis response.

Community Resilience & Health Systems: The IFRC says China is a key partner for building durable community resilience in Africa, pointing to its malaria work in The Gambia as a practical example of cooperation. Human Rights & Health Safety: A UN expert on extrajudicial killings will visit The Gambia from 5–16 October to assess the right to life, including how unlawful deaths are prevented, investigated, and remedied—starting in Banjul and the Greater Banjul Area. Local Health Access Under Strain: Reports highlight how The Gambia’s power cuts are disrupting clinics and essential services, with serious risks to patients and lost income for households and businesses. Health Innovation & Access: At the ECOWAS Startup Awards, a Gambian health-tech finalist (Baykart) made the top five, while the overall winner HubPharm Africa was recognised for life-saving health innovation. Policy for Prevention: Vice President Muhammad BS Jallow launched The Gambia’s National Early Warning and Response Policy (2026–2035) to strengthen coordination and faster action against emerging threats. Healthcare Workforce Development: Merck Foundation marks World Heart Day by expanding diabetes and cardiovascular training scholarships for healthcare providers across Africa and beyond.

Human Rights & Safety: UN Special Rapporteur Morris Tidball-Binz will visit The Gambia from 5–16 October to assess the right to life, including how unlawful deaths are prevented, investigated, and remedied, and to review progress since the democratic transition and TRRC accountability steps. Health & Access: A report highlights how worsening electricity outages are disrupting clinics and daily care, including delayed scans and fatal oxygen interruptions for an asthma patient, while also affecting businesses and education. Power Crisis Response: China has pledged a new 91 million RMB grant for the Greater Banjul Area Electricity Enhancement Project, aimed at easing power cuts. Health Innovation & Jobs: ECOWAS Startup Awards in Abuja crowned HubPharm Africa as overall winner, with a top prize of $30,000, and noted The Gambia’s Baykart among finalists. Public Health Capacity: Merck Foundation marked World Heart Day 2026 with scholarships and training support for diabetes and cardiovascular prevention and care across multiple countries, including healthcare providers. Governance & Prevention: Vice President Muhammad BS Jallow launched The Gambia’s National Early Warning and Response Policy (2026–2035) to strengthen coordination and faster action against emerging threats. Local Politics & Health Services: Change Front is set to unveil its manifesto “The Salvation,” including proposals touching healthcare, education, security, energy, and local government. Transport & Health Benefits: GIA staff say revenue pressure from a private ground handling competitor has led to cuts in incentives like loans and medical support.

Electricity Relief for Greater Banjul: China has pledged a new 91 million RMB grant to support the Greater Banjul Area Electricity Enhancement Project, as The Gambia continues to face damaging power cuts that disrupt clinics, businesses, and daily life. Health Workforce & Access: Pharmacists in The Gambia marked World Pharmacists Day with free community screenings for blood pressure and blood sugar, highlighting pharmacists’ role in prevention and medication safety. Disability & Inclusion: The Gambia Association of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (GADOH) commemorated International Week of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, urging early sign-language learning and better access to healthcare and public services. Health System Risk from Power Cuts: A report links outages to real harm, including a death tied to oxygen interruption during asthma treatment, underscoring how unreliable electricity can become a public health emergency. Health Innovation in West Africa: ECOWAS Startup Awards named HubPharm Africa the overall winner, with a top prize aimed at improving health outcomes across the region. Early Warning for Crises: Vice President Muhammad BS Jallow launched The Gambia’s National Early Warning and Response Policy (2026–2035) to strengthen coordination and faster action on emerging threats.

Electricity & Health Access: China pledged a 91 million RMB grant for the Greater Banjul Area Electricity Enhancement Project, as power cuts continue to disrupt care and daily life. Health Workforce & Medicines: The Pharmacists Society of The Gambia marked World Pharmacists Day with free community screenings for blood pressure and blood sugar, highlighting pharmacists’ role in chronic disease prevention and medicine safety. Disability & Inclusive Care: GADOH commemorated International Week of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, urging parents to learn sign language and calling for better access to healthcare and public services for deaf people. Health Innovation in West Africa: HubPharm Africa won the ECOWAS Startup Awards overall, with a top prize aimed at saving lives and expanding health solutions across the region. Public Health Preparedness: The National Early Warning and Response Policy (2026–2035) was launched to strengthen early threat detection and coordination across government, communities, and partners. Nutrition & Food Security: A study says more equitable fishing access could help reduce malnutrition by keeping nutrient-rich fish in West African countries, including The Gambia.

World Heart Day & training: Merck Foundation marked World Heart Day 2026 with African and Asian first ladies, launching scholarships to boost local capacity for diabetes and cardiovascular preventive care. Pharmacy spotlight: The Pharmacists Society of The Gambia marked World Pharmacists Day with community screenings for blood pressure and blood sugar, urging stronger pharmacist roles in prevention and safe medicine use. Deaf rights & access: GADOH commemorated International Week of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, calling for early sign-language learning and better communication access so deaf people can reach healthcare and public services. Health system strain from power cuts: A report highlights how electricity outages disrupt clinics and can turn treatment delays into life-or-death outcomes, including a death linked to oxygen supply during an outage. Early warning for crises: Vice President Muhammad BS Jallow launched The Gambia’s National Early Warning and Response Policy (2026–2035) to improve coordination and faster action against emerging threats. Health in politics: A political movement’s manifesto preview includes expanded health insurance and healthcare priorities, while debate continues around national issues like power and medicine access.

World Heart Day: Merck Foundation marked World Heart Day 2026 with African and Asian first ladies and partners, expanding diabetes and cardiovascular training through scholarships for healthcare workers. Health Systems & Access: Pharmacists Society of The Gambia marked World Pharmacists Day with free community screening for blood pressure and blood sugar, highlighting pharmacists’ role in prevention and medicine safety. Disability & Inclusion: GADOH commemorated International Week of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, urging early sign-language learning and better access to healthcare and public services for deaf and hard-of-hearing people. Early Warning for Crises: The Gambia launched a National Early Warning and Response Policy (2026–2035) to strengthen coordination and faster action against emerging threats. Nutrition & Food Security: A study says more equitable fishing access could help cut malnutrition in West Africa, naming The Gambia among countries that could benefit from keeping nutrient-rich fish locally. Public Health Risk from Power Cuts: A report links electricity outages to delayed care and deaths, including a case where oxygen supply was cut during treatment.

World Pharmacists Day in The Gambia: The Pharmacists Society of The Gambia marked Sept 25 with a march-past and free community health screenings, offering blood pressure and blood sugar checks and reminding the public that pharmacists do more than dispense medicines—supporting prevention and safer use. Deaf rights and access to care: GADOH commemorated International Week of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, urging parents to learn sign language early and calling for better communication access so deaf people can reach healthcare and other public services. Malaria funding warning: African leaders at UNGA warned that a 30% cut in malaria financing could drive 146 million more cases and nearly 400,000 additional deaths by 2030, urging stronger domestic funding and coordinated action. Nutrition link to fisheries: A new study says more equitable fishing access could help West African countries, including The Gambia, keep nutrient-rich fish at home to tackle malnutrition. Health policy debate: A UK funding announcement on pregnancy choice was reported with controversy, but the programme is described as supporting maternal healthcare and contraception in countries including The Gambia. Community health and inclusion: The week also highlighted how inclusive services—like accessible communication and empowered health workers—shape real health outcomes.

Pharmacy & Public Health: The Pharmacists Society of The Gambia marked World Pharmacists Day with a community health screening (blood pressure and blood sugar) and a message on pharmacists’ role in medicine safety, adherence, and prevention amid rising chronic disease and antimicrobial resistance. Deaf Rights & Access to Care: GADOH commemorated the International Week of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, urging parents to learn sign language early and calling for better communication access so deaf people can reach healthcare and other public services. Malaria Funding Alert: African leaders warned that a 30% cut in malaria financing could trigger 146 million more cases and nearly 400,000 additional deaths by 2030, urging stronger domestic funding and coordinated action. Nutrition & Fisheries: A new study says more equitable fishing access could help West African countries, including The Gambia, retain nutrient-rich fish now taken by distant-water bottom trawlers—potentially improving diets and reducing malnutrition. Rohingya Crisis Watch: UN officials and rights groups renewed warnings as Malaysia begins repatriating 1,476 Myanmar nationals, stressing that returns must be safe, voluntary, and dignified. Local Health System Context: Coverage also notes The Gambia’s 2027 budget projects D16.17 billion in debt service, raising pressure to protect spending on healthcare and essential services.

Malaria Funding Alert: African Leaders Malaria Alliance (ALMA) warns that a 30% cut in malaria financing could trigger 146 million additional cases and nearly 400,000 more deaths by 2030, urging stronger domestic funding and multisector action to speed elimination. Health Financing in The Gambia: The National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) wrapped a two-day review of its 2026–2030 Strategic Plan, calling for stronger health financing, wider coverage, and better protection for Gambians against high out-of-pocket costs. Rohingya Health & Protection: UN officials renewed calls for durable solutions for Rohingya refugees, warning that shrinking humanitarian funding threatens essentials like food, healthcare, and protection for women and girls. Maternal Health Funding Debate (Gambia included): A UK CHOICES programme announcement cited support for pregnancy choice and maternal healthcare in countries including The Gambia, amid public claims and clarifications about what aid can legally fund. Migration Safety: Mauritanian Coast Guard says it rescued 260 irregular migrants off Nouakchott, including women and children, after a week-long sea journey from Banjul.