In a bid to eradicate the burden of malaria in The Gambia, the Health Education Promotion and Development Organisation (HEPDO), formerly the Association of Youth Against Malaria (TAYAM), will, on Monday, 25th August, 2008, kick-start a massive bednet dipping exercise in the Western Region targeting at least 35,000 bednets.

Cognisant of the constraints encountered during the exercise, the organisation, on Monday ,conducted a day's micro planning seminar at the Tango resource centre in Bakau, where stakeholders in the fight against malaria discussed the way forward for a successful bednet dipping exercise.

Prominent among their suggestions was for a massive sensitisation of the communities before the exercise takes place.

In an interview with the Daily Observer, Mr Omar Ceesay, acting executive director of the organisation, said the preparations for a successful dipping exercise have been put in place, noting that they are expect to dip 35,000 bednets in a period of five days.

According to him, last year, the organisation was able to dip only 34,212 bednets due to constraints such as inadequate sensitisation in various communities, as well as the unwillingness of people to come out to dip their bednets. He revealed that this year, his organisation will embark on a vigorous sensitisation campaign at the community level, as well as through the available community radio stations in the region before the exercise.
The HEPDO director appealed to the masses in the region to come out with their conventional nets for dipping, noting that there is no charge levied.  He also appealed to the people to come out in time in a bid to enable them to reach the target figure.