About 40 members of the Association of Health Journalists, on Friday, June 15, 2007 ended a five day sensitisation workshop on tuberculosis case management held at the Senegambia Beach Hotel.

The workshop which brought together participants from the print and electronic media around the country was characterised by presentations on TB diagnosis, TB treatment, the role of journalists in the fight against the disease and the outcome of the one -year component of the Global Fund Against Malaria and Tuberculosis (GFAMT).

Speaking at the closing ceremony, Alieu Jallow , Manager, National TB Control Programme, said TB is on the increase in  many parts of Africa, attributing this to the lack of adequate resources and manpower. He called on health journalists to collectively work together and enlighten the public about the dangers of the disease.

Mr. Jallow revealed that the National Tuberculosis Control Programme has registered success in the fight against TB as shown in their records.

For his part, the President of the Association of Health Journalists, Pa Modou Faal, said the workshop has effectively equipped them to highlight the dangers posed by the disease. He then urged health experts to have confidence in journalists and share necessary information about TB and /HIV/Aids and other diseases in the interest of the general public.

In his turn, the President of the Gambia Press Union, Madi Ceesay, assured health experts that more sensitisation on tuberclosis will be done by participants. He also urged the TB Control Programme to evaluate the efforts made by the media to enable them to know how much is done by the media in the crusade against TB.

Dr Radha, Monitoring and Evaluation Specialist of the TB Control Unit, urged health journalists to always feel free to clarify issues with health experts.

Fatoumatta Drammeh of Radio 1 FM delivered the vote of thanks on behalf of the association.