Activists in the health and environment sectors of the country have reaffirmed their commitment to drastically minimise the prevalence of malaria and other preventable diseases in the country. The officials were speaking during a massive cleansing exercise staged by the organisation - Your Change For a Change and the Brikama Area Council, in Brikama.

Speaking to the Daily Observer, the Gambia director of the YCFaC, Lamin Darboe, lamented that reports have indicated that malaria, a preventable disease has "killed more than all the wars combined". Thus, he affirmed that their ultimate goal is to make malaria and other preventable diseases history in The Gambia.

Darboe averred that his organisation aims to make available, preventive disease management and incentives for Gambian communities. He said they are committed to the fight against Malaria through the provision of Insecticide Treated Nets (INTs), amongst other initiatives.

The cleanliness of the environment, according to him, does not only prevent the occurrence of malaria, but also other diseases. He further lamented that malaria remains a global phenomenon that has caused the deaths of many people in The Gambia, mainly pregnant women and children.

Also speaking to this reporter, a senior environmental health and sanitation supervisor of the Brikama Area Council, Lamin Luwang Konteh, commended the members of the organisation for the move, while calling on other young people to emulate YCFaC.

A representative of the National Environment Agency (NEA), Muhammed Gomez, described the move as commendable, noting that it is in line with the objectives of the 'Operation clean the nation.'