Atleast twenty health workers in Central River Region CRR on Sunday February 10 concluded a three day training on intermittent preventive treatment (IPT) at the regional health office resource centre in Basang.

The training which was sponsored by the Global Fund through the National Malaria Control Programme drew participants from different health facilities in the region.

In his opening remarks, the CRR Regional Health Officer Karamba F. Keita said to combat  the adverse consequences of malaria during pregnancy, the WHO recommended  a three-pronged approach;

- Insecticide Treated Nets (ITN),

- Appropriate case management for malaria Illness;

- and Intermittent Preventive Treatment in pregnancy (IPTP). 

He noted that equipping health workers with the knowledge on (IPTC) will go a long way in reducing incidence of malaria in pregnancy, malaria related complications as well as mortality related to malaria during pregnancy

Amadou Kanteh also speaking at the ceremony said malaria is  major public health challenge in The Gambia and also in many African countries.  He asserted that mortality survey indicated that, malaria is one of the two most frequent causes of death among children under five years.

One of the facilitator Saikou Badjie pointed out that malaria accounts for one in five antenatal clinic consultations in The Gambia. According to him, approximately 15,000 pregnant women are diagnosed as having clinical malaria annually.

He elucidated that in pregnancy, malaria does not only cause clinical attacks but can also sequestrate (hide) in the placenta causing retarded foetal growth and maternal anemia.  He stressed the need for routine antenatal clinic visits for effective Intermittent Preventive Treatment in pregnancy.