The Nova Scotia- Gambia Association (NSGA) has being lauded for best practice in malaria prevention and control among eight countries in West Africa, at a conference held in Accra, Ghana recently.

While the malaria-born disease continues to ravage communities world wide, the prevention methods used by NSGA in The Gambia and Sierra Leone are being singled out at the conference as the best approach to the malaria prevention.

Dr. Adama Kone, the representative of Action for West Africa Region-RH (AWARE-RH) expressed delight at the manner in which NSGA operates in both The Gambia and Sierra Leone in malaria prevention, "The Nova Scotia-Gambia Association's experience with the Peer Health Education is an innovative practice geared towards the control and prevention of malaria at the community level" says Mr Kone.

For her part, the Executive Director of The Nova Scotia-Gambia Association, Miss Andrea MacDonald, expressed her appreciation for the association being recognised to have been practising the best practice in malaria prevention across the West African Region, "it proves that working together with local governments and communities, while applying NSGA's expertise in the area of the Peer Health Education, can make a significant impact in the fight against malaria and other preventable diseases" Miss MacDonald said.

Miss Marie Chorr of the Nova Scotia- Gambia Association who was the Project Manager of the AWARE-RH Malaria Pilot Project in The Gambia, said that using local languages and holistic approach, made a positive contribution to positive health behavior change.

According to her NSGA instructed students, teachers, community elders, and health care professionals to use a unique self assessment tool to measure behavioral change and to help in the promotion of positive health behavior in local communities. Miss Chorr extended her appreciation to the National Malaria Control Program (NMCP) for being an instrumental partner in both The Gambia and Sierra Leone in the implementation of their initiatives.

The conference was organised by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) through AWARE-RH and was attended by representatives of both the NSGA and NMCP.