The
Educational Theatre Programme (ETP) at the University of The Gambia (UTG)
yesterday observed World Malaria Day under the Theme: “Understand and Prevent
Malaria”, at an event held at the Gambia College, Brikama Campus.
The
primary purpose of the day was to understand and prevent malaria programme as
well as to raise awareness about malaria and strategies that could prevent the
disease from spreading.
The programme was structured to effectively
communicate with individuals from diverse backgrounds and varying levels of
understanding of the disease.
The
programme also promotes the World Health Organization’s (WHO) World Malaria Day
2017 on the Theme: “End Malaria for Good.”
Dr
Jane Achan, malaria coordinator at the Medical Research Council (MRC), said
malaria is a mosquito born infectious disease caused by protozoa and the
disease has over 300 million new cases per year making it the most prevalent
serious infectious disease.
He
said that 75 per cent of the deaths are among African children and pregnant
women at large.
Dr
Jane elaborated on the fact that malaria could be prevented by destroying most
breeding sites, sleeping under mosquito bed net, destroying mosquito larvae,
destroying adult mosquitoes, eliminating the malaria parasite using
insecticides, insecticides (house sprays), environmental and behavioural
modifications.
As
part of the occasion, the students of the University of The Gambia made an
innovative dramatic presentation using poems, monologues, skits and masks to
share information about malaria as well as a complementary exhibition that
included posters, literature on malaria, mosquito nets, mosquito repellents,
sprays and the like.
The
exhibition also highlighted environmental hazards that “breed deadly malaria
mosquitoes” such as stagnant water in tyres and garbage.
The
world malaria programme is one in a series of Educational Theatre outreach
projects by the UTG students extended beyond the UTG campus for the benefit of
the broader Gambian community.
The
World Malaria Day project will also be presented at high schools and community
centres in May 2017.
