In this week’s edition, we bring you the profile of the Public Health (Health Promotion) Specialist at the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Momodou Njie.
Educational Qualification
Mr.MomoduNjie attended UN African Institute For Economic Development and Planning, Dakar , Senegal from 6-17th August 2018) where he was awarded certificate of Competence N0: 2964CCD/18; Social Policy for Development Planners. He also attended Leeds Metropolitan University, Leeds, Civic Quarter, LS1 3HE, United Kingdom (September 2005-February 2007) with MSc Public Health -Health Promotion CDC and IUHPE Seminar on Cardiovascular Health Promotion and Chronic Disease
Prevention, Accra, Ghana in October 2004 with Certificate in Cardiovascular Health and Chronic Disease Prevention in sub-Saharan Africa. MOSAIC.NET International, Ottawa, Canada from June-July 2003 with Participatory Communication: Methods and Approaches and Participatory Development: Concepts, Tools
and Application of PRA/PLA Methods. International Agricultural Centre, the Netherlands from Jan-June 2001 with Post-Graduate Diploma in Food and Nutrition Security: Food and Nutrition Security in Urban Areas and Project Planning and Proposal Writing.
Schooled at The Gambia College, School of Public Health from Oct 1990-Aug 1993 with West African Diploma in Public Health and Public Health Inspector’s certificate and then
Nusrat High School from September 1985- June 1990 where he graduated with General Certificate Examination Ordinary Level (GCE ‘O’ Level Certificate).
Professional Experience
Served as the National Chairperson of the National Tobacco Control Committee in The Gambia May 2018 and currently piloting a hygiene and sanitation project for school children in a Nursery School in West Coast Region.
Currently leading the Social and Behaviour Change Communication interventions on Food and Nutrition Security, WASH and Food Fortification from December 2017 to date and he is currently leading the campaign to end Open Defecation in The Gambia to make The
Gambia Open Defecation Free.
Njie also led the Risk Communication and Community Engagement for Public Health Emergencies component of The Gambia Government/ WHO preparatory phase of the Joint External Evaluation Tool of the International Health Regulation (2005). He participated in the development of Community Mobilization Strategy for Maternal Child Nutrition and Health followed by Training of Master Trainers and step-down training of health and other extension workers country wide from October 2016- June 2017. He coordinated the communication and social mobilization activities of the Mass Drug Administration Campaign against Neglected Tropical Diseases (Schistosomiasis and Soiled Transmitted Helminthiasis) in 24 districts in The Gambia from February-March 2017. Njie was nominated and elected as the Spokesperson of The Gambia Red Cross Society January 2017 thus responsible for internal and external communication for the National Society and from 21-24th November 2016 participated in the 9th Global Conference on Health Promotion in held in Shanghai, China with the theme: Health for All and All for Health Promoting Health in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
Trained 69 Medical Doctors
In November 2016 he coordinated the training of 69 Medical Doctors and Nurses on Colposcopy for cervical cancer screening, treatment and management thus facilitated the conduct of the Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) Nutrition Education Program targeting Village Support Groups, Traditional Communicators and Community Drama Groups in WCR, CRR and LRR on community –based nutrition education from October-November 2016.
He developed a course handbook for Bachelor’s in Public Health and Health Promotion (BSPH&SP) for The American International University, The Gambia in October
2016) and served as the national facilitator in the development of a Community Mobilization Strategy for Maternal Child Nutrition and Health Results Project in September-October 2016. Njie both led the process of the finalizing the National Tobacco Control and the Public and Environmental Health Council Bills at both Cabinet and the National Assembly from September-October 2016 and facilitator in the training of trainers for health workers and community interpersonal communication networks on Social Behavioral Change Communication (SBCC) to increase demand for Maternal Child Nutrition and Health Results Project (MCNHRP) from July-August 2016.
Lead Finalization NSBCC
Led both the finalization of the National Social Behaviour Change Communication Strategy and tools July 2016 and the process of finalizing the National Social Determinant of Health Report 2016 and on 28th June 2016 was elected by the General Assembly as the Executive Secretary of the Network of Advocacy Champions for Health Financing (NACHF) in The Gambia. Coordinated both the media briefing with the members of the Association of Health Journalist in preparation of the commemoration of the International Day against abuse and illicit drug trafficking 22nd June 2016 and the implementation risk communication and community engagement on Zika Virus Disease in the Gambia. Participated in the development finalization of the All Hazards Plan for The Gambia from 16th-21st May 2016 and Technical Consultation for the “Preparation of Food Based Dietary
Guidelines and Nutrition Education for Promoting Healthy Diets” in Africa from 9th-12th May 2016.
Njie served as Lead Consultant and lecturer within and outside the country more in the areas of Communicating Health Module on the MSc Course in Public Health –
Health Promotion.
Co-ordination of stakeholders meeting on child survival and development, Convene stakeholders workshop on child survival and development, Production of the draft report on situational analysis on child survival and development and Production of final document of child survival and development (March 13-30th 2009).
Co-Lecturer
Co-lecturer on Community Needs Assessment, designing and implementation of participatory planning and evaluation and the application of Participatory Rapid Appraisals at community level on the MSc Public Health and Environmental Health (Health Promotion) distant learning course organized by Leeds Metropolitan University in collaboration with the University of The Gambia from February/March, 2009.
Co-lecturer- On the MSc Public and Environmental Health (Health Promotion) distance learning course by Leeds Metropolitan University in Partnership with the UTG (Faculty of Health and Allied Health Sciences (3rd-7th March 2008) in UK in organization of field work, lectures on community participation and social mobilization in health promotion.
Health Education and Health Promotion, Community diagnosis and mobilization, Community Participation, Project Planning and Proposal Writing, Participatory Communication and Participatory Development using PRA methods and approaches. Community Health (including community participation and mobilization strategies), Perspectives of Health Promotion in Developing Countries, Community Development Approaches and Methods, PRA/PLA tools and their application at community level and study skills, organization of health education and promotion services in The Gambia and Health Education and Promotion Approaches in The Gambia. Coordinated the training of community health workers, trained traditional communicators and community drama groups on various health issues, responsible for the development and pre-testing of communication materials on health, nutrition and sanitation, assist other stakeholders on message development and pre-testing of communication materials on health issues, responsible for the training of journalist and media practitioners on health reporting, coordinated the Hygiene Education Component of the Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Project (RWSSP); Facilitated and Co-ordinated the training of 160 health and community development workers on Interpersonal Communication in CRR and URR, co-ordinated the training of extension workers on Participatory Development Skills using Participatory Rapid Appraisal Methods and co-ordinated the development of a 5 year communication strategy for Tuberculosis and Leprosy Prevention and Control Programme in The Gambia.
Co-ordinated the health education activities, immunization and coordination of community field work, training of community drama groups and traditional communicators on health message dissemination.
OTHER SKILLS
Community Project Monitoring and Evaluation; Information, Education and Communication
Programme Monitoring and Evaluation; Participatory Communication and Development; Counseling; Report Writing; Message Development; Project Planning and Proposal Writing; Project Management and Co-ordination; Community Drama and Traditional Communicators Training; Community Development; Personnel Management and Administration; Partnership and Networking skills
PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIP
Secretary to the Senior Management Team of the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare,
Social Secretary of The Gambia Association of Public Health Officers (Gambia), Chairperson of the National Social Behavior Change Communication and Community Mobilization Taskforce for Maternal and Child Nutrition and Health. Member of the International Union for Health Promotion and Education, Steering Committee Member of The Gambia Government and ADB Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Project, Chairperson of the National CLTS Task Force; Chairperson of the National Communication and Social Mobilization Commission of the Gambia Red Cross Society; Steering Committee Member of the Centre for Tobacco Control in Africa, Kampala-Uganda.
Chairperson of the National Ebola Virus Disease Communication and Social Mobilization Sub-Committee, Chairperson of the Communication, Social Mobilization and Community Engagement sub-committee for Public Health Emergency Preparedness and Response; Member of the National Nutrition Technical Advisory Committee.
Member of the National Technical Working Group on Integrated Management of Acute Malnutrition; National Focal Point for Water and Sanitation for All (SWA); Chairperson of the Behaviour Change Communication Advisory Committee on HIV/AIDS; Chairperson of the Multispectral Committee on Social Determinants of Health; Country Lead Facilitator on Health and Nutrition Communication; Country Lead Facilitator on Pre-testing of Communication Support Materials on Health and Nutrition.
Chairperson of the Information, Education and Communication Committee on health; Member of the Technical Working Group on Adolescent Health Promotion, Taskforce member of the Municipal Waste Management and Technical Member on the National School Feeding Program. SWA Focal Point for the Gambia.
RESEARCH CONDUCTED
July- September 2015 served as local Consultant for the conduct of situational analysis for the development of Social Behaviour Change Communication for Seasonal Malaria Chemoprevention Campaign in 2 health regions in The Gambia supported by Speak Up Africa based in Dakar, Senegal (July September 2015). September – December 2013 lead Consultant for the development of a National Nutrition Guidelines for PLHIV in support of the AIDS and TB response in The Gambia supported by the World Food Programme, The Gambia Country Office (September-December 2013). February-March 2012 conducted a situational analysis on nutrition intervention in HIV/AIDS response programmes in The Gambia for the World Food Programme, Gambia Office (unpublished) and Co-author the Call to action: Health Promotion in The Gambia- Closing the implementation Gap? March 2011 (published).
The Author, The Use of lay health workers in developing countries: How effective and sustainable are they? May 2011 (unpublished) and a Study Investigating Infant and Young Child Feeding Practices in FoniKansala District, Western Region, Gambia. October 2011 (Published).
August-December 2006 Conducted a qualitative research in investigating infant and young child feeding practices in FoniKansala District, Western Division, The Republic of The Gambia for my MSc Public Health (Health Promotion) dissertation (unpublished).
October-December 2005 Co-ordinated the Qualitative Research using FGD methods in the study on system wide barriers to immunization with the WHO local consultant under the support of WHO (Gambia Office, published).
August-October 2003 Participated and Supported a PhD Student on research on Agricultural Health and Safety in CRD and URD which included the administration of questionnaires to health workers, agricultural extension workers, vetenary officers, and cotton and cereal farmers (published).
January -March 1999 Participated in a Sentinel study on HIV/AIDS in Farafenni Health Centre catchment areas (unpublished).
June-August 1991 Participated as a data collector in the Ethnographic study on acute respiratory infection among under five children in three ethnic groups in the country and it included a combination of Qualitative and Quantitative research methods aiming at getting maternal perceptions, beliefs and practices concerning ARI supported by UNICEF (Gambia Office, published). September, 1994; April, 1996; October 1998 and May, 2000 Participated in a study on immunization coverage survey in the health facility catchment areas as a data collector (unpublished). He made presentation and data analysis skills with lots of professional awards both within and outside the country.