By Yunus S Saliu
The former Director of Health Promotion and Education, Modou Njai of the Directorate of Health Promotion and Education unit, Ministry of Health who had secured an international appointment with the Africa Center for Disease Control in Abuja, Nigeria, on Wednesday, bade farewell to members of press in The Gambia.
While the Directorate of Health Promotion and Education used the occasion to award some journalists and media houses for their support and services to the directorate and Ministry of Health in general.
Modou Njai who has been working with different journalists from media houses – print, electronic and online at national and international levels as far back 2021expressed delights and thanked everyone for the cooperation and supports accorded him through his tenure as a director of the unit.
As he prepared for his assignment outside the country, he thanked the Ministry of Health and as well the Directorate of Health Promotion and Education unit for organising such a memorable farewell between him, the directorate and member of the media fraternity to show appreciation for their supports.
Going back to the memory lane, Modou Njai gave a brief history of how the relationship between the Ministry of Health and the media report on health matters began in The Gambia, noting that the relationship which started 2001 immediately paved way for the establishment of the Health Journalists Association of The Gambia.
He disclosed that since the formation of the health association, media houses and journalists have been involved in different activities “this made the relationship between Ministry of Health and Journalists in the Gambia become unique and continue strengthening.”
Thanking member of the Health Journalists Association for the supports enjoyed together as a director of the directorate within the framework of the health principles to work with the media, he, therefore, appealed to the media houses with the journalists not to stop their support to the Directorate of Health Promotion and Education.”
“My advice to the media houses, I have gone there is a team on the ground, that’s the new director of the directorate, please work with him and the entire team and work with the Ministry of Health,” he made a final appealed before his departure.
Messrs M Joof, Program Manager, Gibril G Baldeh Senior Communication Officer, Salifu Touray, Pradipta Ojha Representative of WHO, , and lots of journalists made remarks at the farewell events
However, dozens of media houses and journalists were awarded in recognition of their role and contribution towards the National Response on Risk Communication and Community Engagement (RCCE) in the fight against Covid-19 pandemic in The Gambia.
The ceremony was held at the Central Medical Store Complex in Kotu.