Gambia Joins Senegal To Celebrate World Malaria Day

PHOTO Two Health Ministers. (Photo Credit Kebba Ansu Manneh)

By Ousman A. Marong

The government of Gambia through the Ministry of Health has on Sunday 5^th May 2019 joined their Senegalese counterpart to celebrate World Malaria Day.

The event was organized by National Malaria Control Program office with the funding from Global Fund the Gambia; USAIDS; Catholic Relief Services; Trust Bank; GTBank; etc. The Celebration marks the distribution of over 11 million lasting insecticide-treated bed nets to various communities within the two surrounding satellite villages of Senegal and Gambia. The event was jointly celebrated by the Gambia; Senegal and Guinea Conakry. The celebration was held at the Senegalese border 'Kerr Ayib' under the theme "Zero Malaria Starts with Me."

Dr. Ahmed Lamin Samateh Gambia’s Health Minister revealed that in 2018 the ministry of the Gambia and Senegal have signed a convention to foster collaboration in eliminating the Malaria virus across the sub-region. He said the Malaria initiative project was established strategically to harmonize and intervene in the virus.

He disclosed that research by MRC has indicated that there is a general decline in Malaria by 50 percent. He outlined that admission at hospitals and health facilities has also dropped up to 74 percent and death attributions to Malaria also dropped to 90 percent. He further revealed that the Malaria parasite prevalence has also dropped from 4.0 percent in 2011 to 0.2 percent in 2014.

"The Malaria prevalence has declined to 0.1 percent in 2017”, said Hon Minister Samateh.

In his part Abdoulie Joof Sarr the Senegalese Health Minister underscored his ministry's readiness to mount various campaigns and also distribute mosquito nets, adding “the fight against malaria is not yet over.”

He said these efforts could be the best way to prevent mosquito bites. He opined that environmental sanitation is still a challenge in most communities which are dotted with dirty drains behind houses, weedy compounds, and haphazard disposal of used tyres and plastic containers as well as stagnant waters behind the bathroom, amongst others. These he said are factors contributing to the Malaria virus. “We continue to build houses without any consideration for accessibility and fresh air circulation"; he stressed.

He referenced that The Medical Director of Health Service at GFG, reports that malaria scored 40 percent out Patients Department (OPD) attendance. He said children under five and pregnant women were mostly affected due to convulsions and preventable deaths.

He adduced that the only way to achieve "Zero malaria starts with me”, adding one has to play his/her part in the Preventive strategies, which he said includes environmental hygiene and the use of mosquito nets that could scale-up efforts to eradicate the disease.

In his part the Ebrima K. Dampha Governor North Bank Region (NBR) hailed the two heads of states in their stand to eradicate the disease.

He said, “it should be everybody's business in the fight against the eradication of the Malaria virus.”  He added that the fight against malaria is very challenging, therefore everyone should take part in ensuring that the epidemic end.

The Gambia joins World Press Freedom Day Celebration

PHOTO: Saikou Jammeh. (PHOTO Credit Online)

Editorial

The Gambia will today May 3 join the rest of the world to celebrate world Freedom Day.

Various activities will be carried out to mark the day and also assess the progress of press freedom in the country. More than 2,000 journalists, politicians, representatives of civil society organizations, academia, and the judiciary, have today gathered the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa to grace this year’s World Freedom Day celebration. The event will provide the platform to discuss the challenges faced by the media in the election. It would also examine the safety of journalists, how to effectively tackle face news and the critical role the media could play, to help heal wounds, promote reconciliation and peace, said Dr. Vera Sogwe, Executive Secretary IFJ.

Word Freedom Day is held every year to celebrate the fundamental principles of press freedom, evaluate press freedom around the world, to defend the media from attacks and to pay tribute to journalists who have lost their lives in the exercise of their profession. The theme for this year’s celebration is “Media for Democracy: Journalism and Elections in Times of Disinformation.”

However NEWS BITE demand explanation from the Gambia Press Union (GPU) to ask if they (GPU) cannot create their own National theme in events like World Press Freedom Day’s than to be copying IFJ’s theme year in-year-out? NEWS BITE knew very well that themes for FoE Days are universal and therefore every Press Union worth their own salt to choose whatsoever theme they wish. It could have been more ideal for the GPU to come up with their own National theme than to maintain that of IFJ. On the issue of defending the media from attacks and to pay tribute to journalists who have lost their lives in the exercise of their duty, NEWS BITE still think the GPU owed doyen journalists like Deyda Hydara, Chief Ebrima Manneh, Musa Saidykhan, etc. To create a National theme on their behalf than to maintain the IFJ theme. NEWS BITE will further challenge the GPU to caution the Adama Barrow administration to lift the ban on The Daily Observer Newspaper and changed some of the ill-fitting draconian media laws.

Gambia Celebrates World Cerebral Palsy Day

Mrs. Sidieh Sillah (PHOTO Credit Yankuba Jallow)

By Ousman A. Marong

On 30 March 2019, Penmar Physiotherapy Clinic in collaboration with special Mothers, parents and care-givers of children with cerebral palsy (CP) celebrated World Cerebral Palsy Day, at Penmar Physiotherapy Clinic in Kotu.

The Celebration is part of activities to commemorate World Cerebral Palsy Day, the first of its kind in The Gambia.

“Cerebral Palsy is a neurological disorder that affects children’s together with other neurological disorders which affect the muscles thus causes brain damage, visual problems,” said Mrs Penda Sidibeh Sillah – Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Penmar Physiotherapy Clinic while addressing the gathering.

The celebration is on the theme: “All kids are equal-CP needs special attention,” (let’s shift the culture).

Mrs Sillah also said the celebration serves as a skill-learning platform for care-givers and the movement of people with CP and their families, and the organization that supports them.

“Our vision at Penmar Physiotherapy Clinic is to ensure that children have rights, access, and opportunities as anyone else in the society is guaranteed and safeguarded,” adding that “these are kids, with potentials.”

 

Parent's of Children With Celebral Palsy Disorder. (PHOTO Credit News Bite)

She highlighted that the severity of these conditions in children does not progress, but instead remain static in the brains of affected children, and leads to stunted growth of children.

Mrs. Amie Darboe the founder of ‘Isha-Ebra’ for her part said it is her passion to see every child with Cerebral Palsy disorder as properly taking good care of.

“I wish ‘Isha-Ebra’ could also open their own foundation, to support parents and care-givers with Cerebral Palsy disorder, but we have limited resources and cannot,” she said.

Mrs. Mariama Luis called on corporate organizations to support the Penmar Physiotherapy Clinic to enable them accept more children.

NAWEC HOPEFUL TO ELECTRIFY THE ENTIRE GAMBIA
By Ousman A. Marong
Managing Director of National Water and Electricity Company (NAWEC), Baba Fatojo has said that hopefully within one year time the whole country would be electrified, " he said.
  He said the problem of water and electricity in the country should now be a thing of the past, saying now that electricity is the vehicle for development.

   Fatojo made this remarks at a recent press briefing held in NAWEC headquarters in Kanifing.
   "There are other projects to be running within the greater Banjul areas, with extension and hopefully within one year time the whole country be electrified, " he said.

   He asserted that NAWEC has gone a long a way towards improving services, and we went through some many challenging moments from 2017 to early 2018.

  He disclosed that NAWEC now have more than enough water and electricity supply capacity and have shifted their focus from transmission and distribution and working tirelessly in ensuring to end the problem of water electricity.

  He informed journalists that NAWEC had entered into an agreement with a Company call Karpowership Company that is now fully operating, coupled with the ongoing projects that are now running.

  He further said that the 9 mega watt is now in full service and they are now on the commissioning of another at Kotu power station.

  "We have connnected the greater Nuimi areas and they are now benefiting from 24 hours uninterrupted electricity supply."

  He explained that through rural electrification they have also extended from Barra to Kerewan with a view to bridging that gab,

The NAWEC boss said they have also made extension between Illiasa and Farafenni, hoping that in one year the entire North Bank Region will be enjoying 24 hour uninterrupted electricity supply too.
  He stated that they are going to extend connection from Farafenni to Basse, while the same project will again be extend from Bansang and connect it to Basse.

  He revealed that NAWEC signed $41 million grant at a donor conference held in Brussels and some of the money is going to be used in financing a project call Gambia Electricity Restoration and Modernization project.

  He said they are also working with World Bank and West Africa Power Pool in order to serve the whole country, adding there will be another lane to connect from Kaolack through Banjul and this will ensure easy accessibility and flexibility to connect the entire nation.

 

NAWEC MD Fatoje in the middle during the press briefing

held in NAWEC headquaters. ( Photo Credit Ousman A. Marong).