NSGA embarks on HIV/Aids baseline survey

Tuesday, March 4, 2008
Nova Scotia-Gambia Association (NSGA) in collaboration with the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) has embarked on six months countrywide study on HIV/AIDS baseline survey.

The study seeks to reveal the current level of HIV/AIDS awareness and knowledge among identified vulnerable groups, including truck drivers, vendors and commercial sex workers in all the major motor parks in The Gambia.

According to reports from the NSGA, this survey is the first of its kind, which specifically target individuals considered "high-risk" due to their frequent trade routes throughout the Gambia and the region, including Senegal, Guinea Bissau, Guinea, Mali Mauritanian and Sierra Leone.

This is also the first time NSGA got involved in such a project after extensively working for twenty years in schools and communities across the country with their peer health education program, drama troupes, community film shows and group discussions.

All these efforts have been focused on promoting health awareness issues, including HIV/AIDS, STIs, reproductive health, malaria and gender equity.


During the six months study, NSGA team is expected to conduct one-on-one confidential interviews using a 16-page questionnaire to get the factual and indepth information from the interviewees.

Joseph Demba and Binta Jadama are the baseline survey managers for NSGA. The liaison representative of NSGA Lamin Fatty and could be contacted on 449-6927 or 993-1513











Author: by Amadou Jallow