TYW attended the
Global Hands Gambia Health Forum organized by Global Hands Gambia held at
Jammeh Foundation for peace Hospital (JFPH), Bundung on 25th April,
2015.
The four hours
event started with a one minute silence in honor of our brothers and sisters
who lost their lives through the back way.
Mr. Kebba Manneh,
Staff of Jammeh Foundation for Peace Hospital gave the welcoming remarks and
urged all participants to try as much as possible to get the right message on
tuberculosis.
Jimmy Hendry Njally,
Chairperson of Global Hands Gambia emphasized on the need for such forum. Participants at the Forum |
According to Mr.
Nzallly, TB is a deadly disease which most people do not know about.
He mentioned that
one of the aims Global Hands, is to create the avenue and awareness forum for
young people to take the lead and capitalize on thematic areas related to
health.
Mr. Sainey Cham,
Program Manager of NLTP stated that according to him, signs and symptoms of TB
are usually detected within the first three weeks. He added that, WHO announced
that three billion people around the globe are transferring the disease without
treatment. He highlighted that the Gambia is fighting TB through conducting
case studies, diagnoses and treatments. Mr. Cham concluded by stating that their
target is to treat 100 TB patients per year.
The Laboratory |
Dr. Yorro Bah, a
medical expert stated that TB is one of the oldest diseases known to affect
human beings and that 1.8 billion people die due to TB every year.
TYW representatives
were taken through some facts on TB by some experts from JFPH. According to
them, the signs and symptoms of TB include fever, night sweats, weight loss,
Anorexia, general malaise, weakness and cough amongst others. They however
encouraged that TB can be controlled and prevented by early treatment, avoiding
overcrowding, ventilation, education and taking the BCG vaccine.
They were shown the
TB statistics of JFPH from 2010 to 2015. These are as follows:
· - In 2010, 612 people
were suspected and got tested for T.B, 60 of them turned out positive and 552 were negative.
· - In 2011, 671 people were suspected and tested for
T.B, 82 were and positive 589 remained negative.
· - In 2012, 1136 people were suspected and tested,
163 were positive and 973 remained negative.
· - In 2013, 1133 patients were tested, 132 turned
out smear positive and 1001 remained negative.
· - In 2014, 1046 patients were suspected and tested
for TB, 119 were smear positive whilst 927 were smear negative.
A Cross Section of the Participants During Sessions at the Forum |
In their
observations, our representatives among other participants we noticed that, the
more they suspect and test patients for TB, the higher the smear positive. It
showed that there were many more people out there with the disease but were
reluctant to come out and get tested. Dr. Yorro Bah urged the medical personnel
present to try harder and get more people to volunteer and get tested for TB.
Later, participants
were given a case study to give advice to a female TB patient who is hesitating
to get treatment. Presentations were made on the case study. Another exercise
was conducted which urged participants to identify six key messages that we needed
to send out to the families of the patients that isolate themselves from TB
victims due to their condition. According
to the two TYW representatives, the presentations were the most exciting part
of the forum.
TYW Representatives Kani Touray(Left) and Absa Samba(Right) |
Finally, the forum
ended with a tour of the laboratory. Participants had the opportunity to ask
questions and saw their only blood bank. According to the lab scientist, they
were having so many constraints when it comes to blood. She said that people
are not willing to donate and when emergency arises, the only option they have
is to contact people the y know.
We thank TYW for the opportunity! We are
grateful!