The principal investigator of the Comprehensive Health Education (CHE) Project under the Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education last Thursday engaged 40 health workers from major hospitals across the country on the dissemination of its research findings on CHE conducted in 43 schools and 28 communities in Region 1.

The engagement was also meant to strengthen access to quality comprehensive health education in The Gambia. The forum was held at the NaNA Conference Centre.

The overall aim of the implementation research project is to strengthen access to quality comprehensive health education for in and out of school adolescents in The Gambia and the implementation of the school and community based interventions.

The project is funded by the International Development Research Centre (IDRC.)

Philian Ina Grant Sagnia, principal investigator for the CHE Project stated that in The Gambia, while there are policy frameworks regarding comprehensive health education, there is limited evidence of implementation.

She added that very little is known about how efforts related to comprehensive health education are coordinated among various partners.

"The overall aim of the study is to look into the obstacles to implementation of the Comprehensive Health Education (CHE). The information generated will be used to design and be implemented in relevant school and community-based programs in Western Region 1 of Kanifing Municipality Council, which has a large population of children and adolescents," she said.

She however, explained that the expected outcomes of the study will be the identification of challenges to the implementation of comprehensive health education and the institutionalisation of relevant school and community-based programs that can be used to strengthen access to quality comprehensive health education, information and services for both in and out of school adolescents.

"The study is also expected to result into more effective and efficient coordination of comprehensive health education," Ina said.