By Aisha Tamba
Dozens of healthcare workers in the country recently underwent a training on how to identify and manage Covid-19 patients.
Organised by World Health Organisation, the two-day training was attended by 50 health workers drawn from private and public health centres. It was conducted at a local hotel in Kotu.
Participants learned how to use appropriate risk communication strategies and apply key principles of basic hygiene, while working with Covid-19 patients.
Dr Sharlima Jah, disease prevention and control office, WHO The Gambia, said the WHO seeks to set up a multidisciplinary team from both public and private bodies “so that they can go back to institutions and conduct stepdown training for staff of those institutions”.
She said the training also touches on how to communicate with Covid-19 patients and their families, how to classify treatment of the virus and others.
Mustapha Bittaye, acting director of health, said the government has already provided 500 million dalasi to fight the virus.
He said the training was significant and timely, adding that more health workers will be trained.
He said:” People are also being very supportive. Gambians from different areas are coming and asking us what we want. The response we are having from Gambians is really great in that donor perspective.”
He urged those being quarantined to be patient. “We have some people complaining.It is a restriction centre. Being restricted and not being in your house with your family is not easy for anyone. The comfort zone might not be like a five-star hotel but we just want them to know that we are doing this for the country,”he urged.
