By: Isatou Jawara
The Gambia becomes a country with a dedicated dementia plan as health authorities move from awareness to action.
The Gambia is taking a significant step towards strengthening dementia care with the validation of its National Dementia Plan, designed to improve early identification, treatment, planning and support for people living with dementia and their families.
The validation meeting brought together health officials and stakeholders to examine the country’s proposed roadmap and strengthen efforts to ensure that dementia services become accessible across the country.
Speaking at the meeting, Mam Jarra Marega, Programme Manager of the National Mental Health Programme and National Technical Lead for the Development of The Gambia Dementia Plan, said dementia is often first noticed within families, where relatives may struggle to understand changes in memory and behaviour.
She stressed that families should not have to face those questions alone.
Dementia does not wait for our health systems to be ready for it. It is already inside many of our own families,” Marega said.
For years, dementia has received limited attention within the country’s health system. Marega noted that The Gambia previously lacked a national dementia guideline, dedicated case register, appropriate screening tools and structured caregiver support.
The new plan seeks to change that situation through four connected priorities—integrating dementia into the national mental health response, strengthening investment, building the capacity of healthcare workers and expanding community-based services.
Marega said the country has also developed a Mental Health Investment Case, which demonstrates that mental health is not only a health issue but also an economic concern. The 2024 investment case estimated that mental health conditions and suicide cost The Gambia about D768 million annually, with 89 percent of the burden linked to lost productivity rather than direct healthcare expenditure.
The programme has also begun training traditional healers, with 30 already trained in psychosocial support and safe referral and plans to reach .
Marega said this approach recognises the reality that traditional and faith healers are often among the first people consulted by families when a relative begins experiencing memory loss or changes in behaviour.
The plan also places strong emphasis on community mental health services, with efforts underway to revitalise community outreach and establish stronger pathways for delivering care in rural and remote parts of the country.
Also speaking at the validation meeting, Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Health, Mr Lamin Dampha, underscored the importance of translating the plan into practical action.
He called for continued collaboration among government institutions, health workers, communities and development partners to ensure that people living with dementia and their caregivers can access appropriate support.
The Gambia’s renewed focus on dementia follows the country’s National Statement on Dementia at the 78th World Health Assembly. The World Health Organization subsequently selected The Gambia as one of three countries globally to receive intensified dementia support in 2026 and the only country selected from the African.
Marega said the country now has important foundations for its dementia response, including national policy, an investment case, a costed plan and trained frontline workers.
But she cautioned that the biggest challenge now is turning the plan into results that families can see and feel.
“Our greatest challenge now is implementation,”
With the validation of the National Dementia Plan, The Gambia is seeking to move dementia from an often-overlooked condition to a recognised national health priority—bringing care closer to communities and ensuring that families facing dementia do not have to face it alone.
