By Halimatou Jallow
In a powerful demonstration of inter-sectoral collaboration, a new Tuberculosis (TB) Treatment Centre has been officially inaugurated at the Police Intervention Unit (PIU) headquarters in Kanifing. This landmark initiative is the combined effort of the National Leprosy and Tuberculosis Control Programme (NLTP), operating under the Ministry of Health, The Gambia Police Force (GPF), and supported by The Global Fund. The launch signifies a major strategic pivot in The Gambia’s ongoing battle to eliminate TB.
The immediate force for establishing the new centre was the alarming rate of TB cases identified among detainees within the police facilities. Recognizing this as a high-risk setting for disease transmission, the Ministry of Health and its partners took decisive action. Ensuring that diagnostic and treatment services are accessible to all members of society, regardless of their status or location, is paramount to achieving national TB
control goals.
Underscoring the strategic importance of the facility, Mr. Lamin Dampha, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Health, remarked that this new centre would serve as a symbol of hope, providing early diagnosis, high-quality treatment and compassionate care for police officers, their families, and the wider community.
Mr. Dampha stressed the profound significance of the partnership, adding that the centre “will help bridge the divide between public Health and the Law enforcement, demonstrating that health security and national security are inseparable.”
Moreover, the facility will operate as a Directly Observed Treatment (DOT) site, ensuring patients adhere to their full course of medication, which is essential to curing TB and preventing the development of drug-resistant strains.
Inspector General of Police (IGP) Abdoulie Sanyang warmly welcomed the new centre, framing it as a vital investment in the welfare of the “gallant men and women in uniform.”
The IGP detailed the unique occupational hazards faced by his personnel: “In the line of duty, these frontline officers come into direct contact with people from all walks of life, some of whom carry contagious diseases like tuberculosis and other communicable diseases. At the station level, guard posts, and public gatherings, police officers are exposed to all manner of infectious diseases.”
The facility will be open to officers and detainees alike to get timely and appropriate medical care when the need arises. The IGP emphasised the GPF’s commitment: “Personnel welfare is high on my agenda. My officers are committed to the well-being of Gambians, and they manifest this daily through their patrols, traffic control, criminal investigations and response to calls for police assistance... With due regard for legal means, they spare no expense to ensure criminals pay for their crimes even at the risk of contracting contagious illnesses.”
