The event, held at Action Aid Headquarters in Kanifing along the MDI road, seeks to sensitise the religious leaders on the existence of HIV/AIDS, its impact and how together, communities can prevent this killer disease.
At the event, Omar Jawara, Action Aid International, The Gambia, who serves as the Monitoring and Evaluation Officer of the organisation, highlighted that the event was aimed at sensitising religious leaders on the consequences of the killer virus and how to prevent it.
He acknowledged that The Gambian government, along with various international organisations and NGOs, have been working actively to combat the spread of HIV/AIDS through education, testing, and treatment programmes.
“Efforts have been made to increase awareness about the modes of transmission, promote safer sexual practices, encourage the use of condoms, and reduce stigma and discrimination against people living with HIV/AIDS.”
Despite these efforts, he added that challenges remain which include limited resources, the need for more comprehensive sex education, and cultural factors that affect the spread and management of HIV/AIDS.
Alhagie Omar Kebbeh, one of the imams, who benefited from the training, spoke about the significance of the forum, which targets religious leaders and by extension the communities.
Imam Kebbeh thus urged urged his colleagues to share the information gained from the forum in their various congregations and mosques to help galvanise support to end the AIDS scourge in the country.
Established in 1979 as the second country programme in Africa, ActionAid The Gambia, is a global justice federation working to achieve social justice, gender equality and poverty eradication.
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