The Health, Safety and Environment (HSE) Awareness Week celebrations and the launching of MRC and Me Wellbeing Programme in Basse was a remarkable success. The three-day celebration which ended on the 29 April 2016 was filled with informative activities to promote health, safety, environment and the wellbeing of staff. In line with the theme for this year’s celebration “Make a Small Change to Protect Your Health, Safety and Environment”, staff were encouraged to make small changes in their daily lives at work and home. These changes can positively impact on the health, safety and most importantly the environment. As part of the HSE small change campaign, participants at the event embarked on tree planting exercise, poster display, presentations, inter-departmental volleyball tournament, health and safety video shows and football match against the URR football team.

During the celebrations, The Unit’s environment initiatives and MRC & Me Wellbeing Programme was launched and attended by over 100 people. In attendance were Modou Sanneh, National Environment Agency, Cherno Barra Touray representing Upper River Region (URR) Governor, representatives from URR Regional Health Office, and MRCG staff. Their presentations focused on the environment, and how the Health, Safety and Wellbeing of staff can be improved to prevent accidents.

Joan Vives-Tomas, Director of Operations, informed staff of the Unit’s strategy for energy sustainability, which he said can be achieved by reducing energy consumption and adopting renewable energy technologies. He further emphasised the importance of reporting accidents, as a means of identifying the training needs of staff and improving MRCG’s HSE management system. As a corporate social wellbeing service to support quality of life, address preventative health issues and increase productivity, Joan informed participants of management's plan to embark on a complete Periodic Health Maintenance and Evaluation (PHME) for all staff in the next three months. Speaking on behalf of the URR Governor, Cherno Barra Touray, thanked MRCG for taking the lead in organising such an amazing event. He noted that the health, safety, environment and wellbeing of staff are key to our existence. He further urged all to make a small change to support these focus areas which he said, will also be extended within the URR community.

Mr Habibbu Mbye HSE Supervisor/Administrator speaking on behalf of Sarah Dufie Sarpong, Head of HSE, elaborated on the need to make a small change for health, safety and environment. According to Habibbu, efforts to protect staff’s health, safety and the environment will contribute to reducing global warming, conserve natural resources for future generations and prevent workplace injuries and illness. He concluded by urging all staff to be each other’s keeper by correcting staff seen engaging in unsafe acts; and also encouraged all to staff to use their personal protective equipment when needed, report accidents, hazards and near misses when they happen. The celebrations came to a close with a symposium for St. Joseph’s Lower Basic School children, Basse on cleanliness and importance of hand washing, organised by the Health, Safety and Environment Department.

A day long HSE Awareness event will also be held on 18 May 2016, in Keneba and 26 May 2016, in Fajara.