Fatoumata Jahumpa-Ceesay, Speaker of the National Assembly, has urged youth not to loose faith in the crusade against HIV/AIDS in the country.

In a speech delivered on her behalf by Hon Borry Colley, NAM for Foni Jarrol, at the opening ceremony of a two-day national youth consultation on HIV/AIDS, Speaker Jahumpa-Ceesay said the youths should take stock of their role in the formulation, adoption and implementation of HIV/AIDS policies. The meeting which was held at the NaNA Headquarters in Bakau, aimed at providing technical assistance for the implementation of the commitments made at Lome, Togo and in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.

Hon Jahumpa-Ceesay said young men and women are important members of society, as they possess creative and sound ideas needed to address challenges of HIV/AIDS, saying the bright future of a nation rests on the productivity of the young people. She said youths are the asset of any country and they should be engaged in issues that face society.
Mambayick Njie, Deputy Permanent Secretary at the Department of State for Youth, Sports and Religious Affairs, who deputised for his SoS spurred the Youth Against AIDS Network for their steadfastness and then commended the organisation for organising the consultative meeting.

Robert Ninson, Monitoring and Evaluation Specialist at the National AIDS Secretariat, who deputised for his Director, said young people are at a persistent risk of catching the HIV/AIDS infection. Mr. Ninson urged the youth to embrace consistent preventive measures through outreach and education initiatives.

According to him, youth must be politically empowered and well resourced for them to contribute their quota in the fight against HIV/AIDS by mainstreaming it in their development agenda.
Alagie Kebbeh, Chairperson of the National Youth Council, Samba Baldeh, a representative from the Department of State for Health, and Baboucar Thiam, head of the Senegalese delegation, also delivered statements.