![]() In fact, malaria rates have gone steadily down in recent years. ![]() Gambia’s goal is to eliminate all new malaria cases by 2020.In addition, there has been a steady upward trend in life expectancy for both sexes over the past decade. These numbers are higher compared to the average life expectancy in the Western African region, which is 62 years for women and 59 for men. Women’s life expectancy is 63.3 years while men’s is 60.6 years. The average life expectancy in Gambia is 61.4 years.The country’s GINI score decreased more than ten points since the late 1990s. While there is some inequality, conditions have improved dramatically in the past two decades. The lowest 10 percent of the country holds three percent of the country’s income share, while the top 20 percent holds 43.6 percent. In 2015, Gambia had a GINI coefficient of 35.9, meaning that it has moderate inequality.As a result, medical professionals in the public sector are often overworked, and medical resources are stretched dangerously thin. While many of these workers join the private sector, many others leave the country altogether. At least half of all public health workers in Gambia end up leaving the public sector because of low pay and difficult work. A major issue with the Gambian healthcare system is the shortage of doctors and other medical personnel.However, while the risks are still high, malnutrition rates have shown a gradual downward trend in recent years. Data from the WHO highlighted that 23.4 percent of children in Gambia suffered from stunted growth and 17.4 percent are underweight. Studies show that lack of nutrition contributes to 45 percent of child mortality. Research shows that malnutrition heightens the risk of mortality for both mothers and children. Another leading factor in both maternal and infant mortality is malnutrition.It was estimated that skilled medical personnel attended only 57 percent of births in Gambia. According to the World Health Organization, one key factor in the distressing rate of maternal mortality was a lack of proper medical assistance at birth for many mothers. The maternal mortality rate in Gambia was 706 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2015.This is due to the higher risk of diseases such as malaria and pneumonia in rural areas, which are among the leading causes of death in Gambian children under the age of five. The rate of infant mortality was significantly higher in rural areas than in cities. In 2018, the infant mortality in Gambia was 60.2 deaths per 1000 live births.Only 55.5 percent of men and 47.6 percent of women were found to be literate in 2015. In addition, adult literacy rates are low. According to UNESCO, as of 2018, 72,096 children in Gambia are not attending school. However, the education system does not reach everybody. Education is compulsory in Gambia between the ages of seven and 15. ![]() According to FAO, the country only produces enough food for half of its own consumption needs and only 10 percent of the staple rice crop is produced locally. This means the Gambia does not produce enough food to meet its own needs and lacks the economic power to fill the gap by importing food.
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