As we enter the rainy season, a disease that often threatens the health and wellbeing of people is malaria.

One class of people that tasks themselves to educate the community on the mechanisms to prevent the contamination of this malaria disease is the University of The Gambia Social Sciences Students' Association (SOSA). The association yesterday, Sunday 5th July 2008, with funding from the Nova Scotia Gambia Association Peer Heath Education Program, completed a two day in-house training for its members on malaria control, prevention, communication skills and strategy at the university's faculty complex in Kanifing.

Speaking at the opening session of the training, the head of the Social Sciences Department, Dr Abubacarr Senghore reminded participants that The Gambia is a center for research on malaria and that the promotion of a healthy nation is important to the state and therefore trainings on health preventions is crucial to the development of the country. He also challenged the association to develop strategic planning methods that will ensure their sustainability.

The training will give the association the opportunity to participate and complement the efforts of the government in its malaria control program.