By: The Fatu Network Editorial
On the same day that Gambians Against Looted Assets (GALA) led a historic protest across the streets of Banjul and Kanifing, the group also shared with The Fatu Network a formal petition addressed to President Adama Barrow, calling for urgent executive action on the recommendations of the National Assembly Select Committee report on Acute Kidney Injury (AKI) in children.
The petition, signed by GALA Secretary Ebrima Jallow, also known as The Ghetto Pen, demands full implementation of the 29 recommendations made by the National Assembly’s inquiry into the 2022–2023 AKI tragedy, which claimed the lives of dozens of Gambian children and left families devastated.
GALA described the petition as “on behalf of concerned citizens calling for your urgent intervention and leadership in implementing the key recommendations… which resulted in the loss of innocent lives and significant public health trauma.”
The petition is structured around five key pillars: public health protection, systemic reform, national capacity building, justice and compensation, and legal and institutional reforms.
1. Public Health Protection
“There is an urgent need to complete and operationalize the National Medicines Quality Control Laboratory (NMQC) to ensure that all medicines are tested before entering the Gambian market,” the petition states, referencing a mandate under the 2014 Medicines and Related Products Act.
GALA also urged government action to empower and resource the Medicines Control Agency (MCA), allowing it to function independently without “requiring Ministerial approval,” and to establish a fully operational Pharmacovigilance Unit to monitor medicine safety.
2. Systemic Reform
The petition calls for “the blacklisting of Maiden Pharmaceuticals and a ban on all its products,” pointing to the company’s alleged role in supplying contaminated medicines that caused the AKI outbreak.
Further, it recommends that the MCA or Gambian embassies abroad conduct on-site inspections of foreign pharmaceutical companies and that all medicines undergo registration and quality verification prior to importation. GALA also called for “random post-importation tests and strict compliance checks conducted at entry points.”
3. National Capacity and Accountability
GALA advocates for long-term structural reforms to the pharmaceutical sector, including “the establishment of a School of Pharmacy at the University of The Gambia to train local pharmacists and boost domestic capacity.” The petition also demands the Pharmacy Council of The Gambia (PCG) be granted “direct regulatory powers, independent of the Ministry of Health,” and calls for a digital traceability system for all pharmacies and wholesalers.
4. Justice and Compensation
On the matter of accountability, the petition is explicit: “We demand that the government pursue legal action against Maiden Pharmaceuticals, whose contaminated products caused the loss of lives.”
It also insists that “families of deceased and surviving children must receive fair compensation and free medical treatment until the surviving children fully recover.” Additionally, the government is urged to “collaborate with CSOs and community groups to provide long-term psychosocial support to victims and their communities.”
5. Legal Reforms and Oversight
GALA proposed amending the Medicines and Related Products Act and Pharmacy Council Act to give regulatory bodies “the independence and legal authority needed to enforce rules without interference.”
While stressing the importance of regulatory independence, GALA also reminded the government that “the Ministry of Health must also fulfill its oversight role diligently, ensuring agencies like MCA and PCG are performing effectively.”
One-Month Deadline
“This petition is submitted with the firm belief that a proactive, responsive, and accountable government must act decisively within a timeframe of one (1) month effective today,” the letter stated. “The implementation of these recommendations will not only restore public trust but also safeguard the health and future of our children.” The petition was copied to the Clerk of the National Assembly, the Ministry of Health, and the Inspector General of Police.
