The National Assembly has continued its pre-scrutiny of the 2026 Estimates of Revenue and Expenditure, with Members reviewing the proposed budget of the Ministry of Health as part of the ongoing Pre-Budget Retreat in Basse, Upper River Region.
The session, presented by Mr. Gibril Jarju, Director of Planning and Information at the Ministry of Health, forms part of the Assembly’s sectoral analysis exercise, designed to equip Members with a deeper understanding of the content, structure, and programme-based nature of the national budget before formal debate in plenary.
In 2025, the Ministry of Health was allocated GMD 2.72 billion and has submitted a proposed budget of GMD 3.14 billion for 2026, representing an overall 15 percent increase.
The Ministry’s 2026 estimates are structured under five key programmes:
1. Strategy, Policy and Management – GMD 1.00 billion in 2025, increasing to GMD 1.04 billion in 2026 (4% rise).
2. Health Promotion – GMD 7.84 million in 2025, decreasing to GMD 2.94 million in 2026 (63% decline).
3. Family Health Programme – GMD 50.76 million in 2025, increasing to GMD 102.21 million in 2026 (101% rise).
4. Disease Control Programme – GMD 209.19 million in 2025, rising slightly to GMD 213.07 million in 2026 (2% rise).
5. Management of Subvented Institutions – GMD 1.22 billion in 2025, increasing to GMD 1.63 billion in 2026 (33% rise).
Members of the National Assembly engaged the presenter on the underlying factors behind the budget’s growth areas, particularly the rising costs associated with electricity, water and sewage, rent and rates, consultancy, training, drugs, medical supplies, and the management of subvented institutions.
The Pre-Budget Retreat serves as a critical platform for Members to pre-scrutinise government spending plans, strengthen fiscal oversight, and ensure that sectoral allocations in the 2026 budget reflect national priorities in health, education, and social welfare.
