Nutrition Landscape Information System (NLiS)


Gambia

NLiS Country Profile: Gambia

Child Malnutrition

Child (<5 y) Anthropometry
Indicator Year Value
Low birth weight (<2500 g) (%) 2015 16.8
Overweight (BMI-for-age >+1 SD) in school-age children and adolescents 5-19 years (%) 2016 11.7

Malnutrition in Women

Female malnutrition based on BMI

Vitamin and Mineral Deficiencies

Indicator Year Value
Anaemia children <5 y (Hb <110 g/L) (%) 2016 75.7
Anaemia in non-pregnant women (Hb <120 g/L) (%) 2016 57.0
Anaemia in pregnant women (Hb <110 g/L) (%) 2016 61.8
Anaemia in women of reproductive age (%) 2016 57.5
Clinical vitamin A deficiency in women (history of night blindness during most recent pregnancy) (%)   no data
Median urinary iodine concentration in children 6-12 years (μg/L) 1999 41.8
Subclinical vitamin A deficiency in preschool-age children (serum/plasma retinol <0.70 μmol/L) (%) 1999 64.0

Health Services

Indicator Year Value
Births attended by skilled health personnel (%) 2013 57.2
Population using improved drinking-water sources (%) 2015 90.2
Population using improved sanitation facility (%) 2015 58.9
Children aged 1 year immunized against measles (%) 2016 97.0
Any antenatal iron supplementation (%) 2013 96.6
Children <5 years with diarrhoea receiving ORT (%) 2013 65.0
Children with diarrhoea receiving zinc (%) 2010 0.3
Children aged 6-59 months receiving vitamin A supplements (dose 1) (%) 2017 32.0
Children aged 6-59 months receiving vitamin A supplements (dose 2) (%) 2017 34.0
Births in baby-friendly facilities (%) 2016 0.0
Mothers of children 0-23 months receiving counselling, support or messages on optimal breastfeeding at least once in the last year (%)   no data

Food Security

Indicator Year Value
Households consuming adequately iodized salt (15 parts per million or more) (%) 2013 69.1
Population below the international poverty line (%) 2015 10.1

Caring Practices

Indicator Year Value
Early initiation of breastfeeding within 1 hour of birth (%) 2013 51.5
Introduction to solid, semi-solid or soft foods in infants 6-8 months (%) 2013 55.0
Minimum acceptable diet (MAD) in children 6-23 months (%) 2013 8.3
Children with diarrhoea <5 y receiving oral rehydration therapy (ORT) and continued feeding (%) 2013 50.8
No breastfeeding data available for this country

Commitment

Indicator Year Value
General government expenditure on health as % of total government expenditure 2014 15.3
Total expenditure on health as % of gross domestic product 2014 7.3
Per capita total expenditure on health (US$) 2014 118.4
Nutrition component of the United Nations Development Assistance Framework (UNDAF)   no data
Nutrition component of Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper (PRSP)   no data
Nutrition Governance score   no data
International Code on Marketing of Breast-milk Substitutes: Legal status of the Code 2018 Full provisions in law
Maternity leave 2013 12 weeks

Capacity

Indicator Year Value
Degree training in nutrition exists 2016-2017 No
Nutrition is part of medical curricula 2016-2017 Yes
Nutrition professionals density (per 100,000 population) 2016-2017 0.3
Nursing and midwifery personnel density per 1,000 population 2008 0.9
GDP per capita (PPP US$) 2018 1,706
GDP per capita annual growth rate (%)   no data
Official development assistance (ODA) received (net disbursements) (% of GNI) 2017 18.5
Low-Income Food-Deficit Country (LIFDC) 2018 Yes

Meta-indicators

Indicator Year Value
Averaged aggregate governance indicators 2018 -0.4
Gender Inequality Index (GII) 2017 0.623
Gender Parity Index in primary level enrolment (ratio of girls to boys) 2018 1.1
Human development index (HDI) value 2017 0.5
Seats held by women in national parliament (%) 2019 10.3

Female Education Levels

Female Education Levels 2013

Education

Education

Under 5 Mortality

Policies & Actions in the Global database on the Implementation of Nutrition Action (GINA)

Policy title Start Year
The Gambia United Nations Development Assistance Framework (UNDAF) 2017-2021 2017
United Nations Development Assistance Framework for Gambia 2012
Strategic Plan for Implementation of The Gambia’s National Nutrition Programme 2011
The Business Plan for Better Nutrition 2011-2015 2011
National Nutrition Policy 2010-2020 2010
Poverty Reduction Strategy: 2007-2011 2007
Labour Act 2007
National Nutrition Policy 1999
Progamme title and actions Start Year
GNPR 2016-2017: School health and nutrition (q11) School Health Programme - Deworming 2010
GNPR 2016-2017: School health and nutrition (q11) School Health Programme - Home, school or community gardening 2010
GNPR 2016-2017: School health and nutrition (q11) School Health Programme - Nutrition education included in school curriculum 2010
GNPR 2016-2017: School health and nutrition (q11) School Health Programme - School feeding programmes 2010
GNPR 2016-2017: School health and nutrition (q11) School Health Programme - Standards or rules for foods and beverages available in schools 2010
GNPR 2016-2017: Infant and young child nutrition (q8) - Baby-friendly Hospital Initiative (BFHI) 1992
GNPR 2016-2017: Promotion of healthy diet and prevention of obesity and diet-related NCDs (q20) Even though not very structural, media campaigns are held on specific issues to promote healthy diets and good nutrition - Media promotion of healthy nutrition 1990
GNPR 2016-2017: Nutrition and infectious disease (q41) - Counselling on nutritional support & care for people living with TB 1990
GNPR 2016-2017: Infant and young child nutrition (q6) - Growth monitoring and promotion 1978
GNPR 2016-2017: Infant and young child nutrition (q10) - Complementary feeding promotion and/or counselling  
GNPR 2016-2017: Infant and young child nutrition (q7) - Breastfeeding promotion and/or counselling  
GNPR 2016-2017: Promotion of healthy diet and prevention of obesity and diet-related NCDs (q13) - Nutrient declaration  
GNPR 2016-2017: Promotion of healthy diet and prevention of obesity and diet-related NCDs (q21) - Nutrition education and counselling  
GNPR 2016-2017: Prevention and management of acute malnutrition (q37) - Food distribution/supplementation for prevention of acute malnutrition  
GNPR 2016-2017: Prevention and management of acute malnutrition (q38) - Management of moderate malnutrition  
GNPR 2016-2017: Prevention and management of acute malnutrition (q39) - Management of severe acute malnutrition