A two-day workshop for health personnel in category A and B drug outlets was held on Wednesday and Thursday by the Medicine Board of the Department of State for Health and Social Welfare.

The workshop, held at the Palm Grove Hotel in Banjul, was geared towards promoting quality health service delivery to the Gambian public at affordable prices.

Speaking on the occasion, Dr Mariatou Jallow, Director of Health Services and the chairperson of the Medicine Board, said the pharmaceutical unit of the Department of State for Health and Social Welfare organizes annual training for drug outlets in the country to help them to provide affordable quality services to the Gambian populace.

She added that private and public partnership is essential in every development-oriented sector, noting that it harnesses all the potentials that are available in a country.

“The achievement of the MDGs in the health sector relies on this partnership,” she maintained, saying that drugs are useful in the treatment of patients if properly utilised.

However, she said, if misused it causes harm.

“As health workers you owe it to the populace to do no harm and to realize the great trust that the people have in you,” she remarked.

According to Dr Jallow, this year’s training was centred on malaria because of the change in the treatment regiment.

The change is important for both the private and public drug operators as well as the people to acquaint themselves with the know-how, the Health Services director said.

She posited that DoSH is the overall watchdog of healthcare delivery in the country and would continue to carryout its functions in fair and transparent ways as well as take up the interest of the patients which she said is paramount.

“Profit is part of any business that is viable but it should not stand in the way of giving services to those who need it. You are in the best position to strike a balance between the two,” she advised.

The occasion was chaired by Dr Mariatou Tala Jallow, chief pharmacist, DoSH.