Pa Modou Faal, The Point senior reporter and columnist, together with Mr. Madi Ceesay, President of the Gambia Press Union, on Friday left The Gambia for Kenya to attend the 2nd African Media and Malaria Network training on malaria research in Africa.

The workshop, which will be held from 23 to 27 April this year, is a follow-up to the first workshop held in Ghana in November last year.

The workshop will deal with reporting on malaria issues such as its burden on the health and economy of Africa, the search for new tools to combat the disease, the role of the research process and the conduct of clinical trials of drugs and vaccines.

It will bring together journalists from eight countries in Africa, namely Ghana, Malawi, Mozambique, The Gambia, Tanzania, Kenya, Senegal and Gabon.

Speaking to The Point shortly before his departure for Kenya, Mr. Faal said the workshop would improve the quality of journalism and the ability of journalists to understand and report effectively on malaria researches and other initiatives in Africa.

Mr. Faal also said the occasion would be utilised to formally launch the newly established Africa Media and Malaria Research Network (AMMREN).

He added that the establishment of AMMREN is to strengthen collaboration between journalists, health workers and malaria research scientists in Africa and to develop country specific action plan or media strategy on malaria.

He said the objective of AMMREN includes the provision of knowledge sharing platform for media players, health workers, and scientists to understand key issues on malaria.

Mr. Faal, who is a founding member of AMMREN, said the organisation is open to all journalists, health workers and scientists in the country.