By Ndey Sowe
In recognition of the contribution of Mrs. Isatou Jallow, Late Dr. Omar Touray and Mr. Modou Cheyassin Phall, the National Nutrition Agency (NaNA) has named three conference halls in their honour, towards the establishment of the agency and for shaping the food and nutrition landscape of The Gambia. The Board and Management of NaNA on Thursday 5th of December 2023, held this ceremony at the NaNA head office on Bertil Harding Highway.
According to the Agency Board and Management, they recognised Mrs. Isatou Jallow as the leading staff pioneer in the establishment of the NaNA, under the Office of the Vice President and for being the first Executive Director from the year 2000 to 2006; and Mr. Modou Cheyassin Phall for the services rendered to the agency as the second Executive Director from the year 2006 to 2021, and the late Dr. Omar M. Touray, also for his services rendered to the agency as the first Vice Chairperson of the agency Board from 2006 to 2016.
“Since the formulation and establishment of NaNA, several milestones have been achieved which continue to benefit the people in the country,” Dr. Amat Bah, the Executive Director NaNA said. He said the Agency has become a household name not only in the country but globally. Dr. Bah added that their achievements have culminated in the reduction of the prevalence of malnutrition the country has experienced adding that currently, the rate of anaemia, stunting, wasting and underweight, have significantly improved compared to when NaNA was not established, and the contribution of the three people that the halls are being named after did, not go unnoticed.
Members of the Management and Board of the Agency said they cannot pay the three for their efforts but said it is fitting to reward them with this gesture, by naming the various conference halls after them.
They indicate that by this gesture, their names have been written in the annals of the history of nutrition improvement in the country and that naming of the halls after them, will enable people to remember them forever.
According to them, some of the achievements of NaNA include the development and implementation of successive policies and strategic plans; piloting and implementation of proven cost effective nutrition programmes; building a formidable skilled and experienced team within the planning; SBCC; programme and admin and finance and procurement department of the agency; and building partnership with several stakeholders including bilateral and multilateral agencies within and outside the country, among other successfully implemented projects in the country.
The ceremony also witnessed short citations between the contributions of the three people, and the unveiling of the plagues at the various halls.
For the information of the readership, the National Nutrition Agency was established in the year 2000 following the approval of the first National Nutrition Policy in 1999. The policy was exclusively formulated by a team of experts who include Late Dr Omar Touray, Mrs. Isatou Jallow and Mr. Modu Cheyassin Phall.
