A five-day training sensitation workshop on the prevention and control of tuberculosis for the association of health journalists drawn from the print and electronic media is currently underway at the Senegambia Beach Hotel.

The workshop which is organised for the second time for health journalists is funded by the Global Fund Against Tuberculosis and Malaria-TB Component, in collaboration with the National Leprosy and TB Control Office.
Delivering a statement of the workshop Pa Modou Faal, President of the Association of Health Journalists (AoHJ) described health as the business of everyone. He said the training workshop is a stock-taking reflection on the achievements in the fight against tuberculosis. “The Gambia has registered a significant process in the fight against TB”, he added.

Madi Ceesay, President of Gambia Press Union (GPU) in his speech, commended DoSH for always putting journalists, especially health journalists in their activities. Mr. Ceesay further stated that to equip health journalists with the requisite information on the prevention and control of TB is commendable.  He finally urged the participants to take the training workshop seriously and always apply the knowledge gained from the programme in their health reporting.

Adama Jallow NLTP’s Manager in his welcoming remarks said that the training workshop is geared towards consolidating the already good relationship between the health department and the media, more so the Association of Health Journalists (AoHJ).
Dr Mariatou Jallow, Director of Health Services in her opening remarks said that the five-day training workshop is meant to inform and empower the media fraternity with relevant information in the fight against the disease. 

She revealed that treatment for the disease in The Gambia is free of charge. Dr Jallow further called on the health journalists to spread more information on the prevention and control of TB, through their various health programmes.
“Together we can win the fight against TB in The Gambia”, she concluded.