Earlier on Monday, the 1st of August 2022 Ministry of Health The Gambia collaboration with SOS Children’s Villages in The Gambia launched the National Digital Birth Registration and Health Insurance Scheme at SOS Children’s Village Bakoteh. Introduction of Digital Birth Registration provides the opportunity for all birth certificates to be digitally collected and stored in a birth-protected, centralized system, in real-time and therefore ensures everyone and especially children have access to support and programs offered by the state.
Child Protection Situational Analysis Report as of May 2022, indicates the number of births registered for children under age 5 has increased from 52.5% (MICS 2010) to 57.9% (MICS 2018) or 59% (DHS 2019/2020).Low registration prevalence for children under 2 years (48%), compared to those aged 2-4 years (67%) .
Rate of registration of children under 2 years (0 -23 months) is lower than the rate of children aged 5 years (24-59 months).
The low registration of children under 2 affects both male and female children in urban and rural areas, with a higher prevalence in rural areas.
BIRTH REGISTRATION IS A FUNDAMENTAL HUMAN RIGHTS, therefore all citizens of this nation will be have a digital birth registration and a National Health Insurance card, nobody will go stateless therefore this registration will be nationwide. Ministry of Health of The Gambia