The Hon. Minister of Health, Dr Ahmadou Lamin Samateh, is currently leading the Gambian delegation to the 79th Session of the World Health Organization World Health Assembly taking place in Geneva, Switzerland from 18th to 23rd May 2026.
The World Health Assembly is the supreme decision-making body of the World Health Organization and brings together delegates from all WHO Member States annually to deliberate on global health priorities, shape international health policies, and strengthen collaboration on critical public health issues.
Accompanying the Hon. Minister are Dr. Momodou T. Nyassi, Director of Health Services, and Ms. Fatoumata Komma, The Coordinator/ Focal Point for Partnerships. The delegation is also joined by Prof. Ambassador Muhammadou Kah and Mr Momodou M. Mbenga from the Permanent Mission of The Gambia in Geneva.
Throughout the Assembly, the delegation has actively participated in plenary discussions, committee meetings, high-level side events, and bilateral engagements aimed at strengthening partnerships and advancing The Gambia’s national health priorities.
Among the key highlights of the engagement are:
- The Hon. Minister addressed the Assembly on the theme: “Reshaping Global Health: A Shared Responsibility.”
- The delegation held productive bilateral meetings with major global health and development partners including The Global Fund, Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, the United Nations Interagency Task Force on NCDs, International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation Assistant Secretary General, among other important development partners.
- The delegation also attended several high-level side events organized by institutions such as the Commonwealth Secretariat, WHO Regional Office for Africa, WHO Foundation, Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, and Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance.
The Hon. Minister and delegation, upon their return, look forward to further engaging the various partners and organizations met during the Assembly in order to strengthen collaboration and advance The Gambia’s health agenda toward improved healthcare delivery and better health outcomes for all.
