TYW PARTICIPATES IN THE GLOBAL HANDS GAMBIA HEALTH FORUM

TYW attended the Global Hands Gambia Health Forum organized by Global Hands Gambia held at Jammeh Foundation for peace Hospital (JFPH), Bundung on 25^th 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! 

TYW participates in a National Health Fair

Think Young Women (TYW), represented by its members Mariama Johm, Musu Bakoto Sawo, Sohna Jaw and Aminata A. Manneh attended the Second National Health Fair organised by Your Change For A Change (YCFAC) at the Buffer Zone, Tallinding, on 18 April, 2015.

The event was in recognition of the crucial role health plays in our everyday lives as well as YCFAC‘s mandate towards providing quality and responsive disease management.

Aminata A. Manneh, Mariama Johm and Sohna Jaw, TYW Representatives at the Health Fair

The occasion was graced by several youth groups, students, and residents of Latrikunda and the business sector who are all actors in the promotion of creating a healthy Gambia.

Siaka K. Dibba, a senior member of YCFAC, chaired the official opening ceremony of the event.  He dilated on the history of the organisation and why the event was organised and the importance it has in the lives of Gambians.

Cross Section of the Audience at the Opening Ceremony

The event also witnessed a drama presentation by Nova Scotia Gambia Association (NSGA) on Ebola. This was followed by a statement from the principle of Kairaba Senior Secondary School and music performance by various Gambian artists.

The representatives of TYW at the fair exhibited advocacy materials and educated the community on the harms and long term health implications of FGM, Wife battering, Child, Early and Forced Marriages, amongst others and most importantly, scatter the myths associated with the aforesaid practices.

TYW IEC material on display

School Students Visiting the TYW Stall at the Health Fair

More visitors at the TYW Stall

The Gambia Radio and Television Services interviewed our Communication and Networking officer, Aminata A. Manneh who highlighted the importance of the health fair. She pointed out that the fair should be organised countrywide to educate the people in the rural areas on how to live healthy lives. Aminata further stated: “The role TYW plays in nation development is immeasurable towards nation building.”

As exhibitors at the Health Fair, we had a great experience representing TYW thus showcasing what we do as an organisation. The Health Fair gave us the opportunity to know about our health status, learn about the different types of aliments in Gambia and how serious they could get if not treated or cured at the early stages of their development. We showed a diagram of a smoker’s body displayed by the Ministry of Health And Social Welfare. This diagram made the most difference in our behaviour towards smoking in general. The Health Fair gave us the platform to socialise and share experiences as advocates of change  with some of the most dynamic young people in the Gambia who also participated in the event.

The dialogue between our representatives and the community left immense impression on the participants and cleared the path for healthy conversation about gender issues and violence against women in The Gambia. There is also hope for future collaboration with the YCFAC in future programmes.