The University of The Gambia has commenced a three-day training of health officials including public health officers and laboratory technicians from different regions on hand sanitizer making and guidelines on the use of personal protective equipment (PPEs).
“We are glad that the university is taking the lead in this process because we expect that from this training, you will make these sanitizers and make them available to those that need it,” said the Director of Health Services, Dr. Mustapha Bittaye.
Dr. Bittaye encouraged the participants to take the training seriously as his ministry will consider receiving their requests for the necessary ingredients used in the production of the sanitizers while imploring on the university to devise a monitoring mechanism to ensure quality.
In his opening remarks, Prof. Ousman Nyan, Dean of the School of Medicine and Allied Health Sciences thanked the participants for leaving their important errands to attend the training.
“We are aware that there is a need for these products but we want them to be able to produce them in line with internationally established standards,” the professor said. He reminded them of the enormous task of health personnel in light of the Covid-19 pandemic.
The university has been at the forefront of the fight against the pandemic in The Gambia, with its staff working in top positions in the treatment centres. It has also successfully transitioned into delivering online lectures to avoid the spread of the virus.
