By Dr. Kebba S. Bojang
In the passing of Mr. Modou Sise on January 12, 2025, the National Cancer Control Programme (NCCP), the Ministry of Health lost a dedicated member, and The Gambia, a great asset. Although Mr. Sise was not a formal member of staff of the NCCP, he contributed, tremendously, to the successes achieved in laying the foundation for the cancer control program in the country.
He was ever present at all our activities, giving support. This was reflected in some of the condolence messages we received such as “am sorry about Modou Ceesay. I can imagine how you feel”, “Oh, I thought Modou Ceesay was staff of Ministry of Health”, etc.
Until his passing last week, Modou had been working as an Organizational Development Specialist at AZOROM, an Energy company based in Dublin, Ireland for the last 7 years. He had had worked as the Human Resources Manager at the Gambia Tourism Board and at the Edward Francis Small Teaching Hospital (EFSTH), and as the Human Resources Director at the Sheraton Gambia Hotel Resort & Spa. In all these institutions, he worked with dedication and professionalism as demonstrated from testimonies in the form of recommendations from those he worked with in his LinkedIn Account:
- “Great Manager in his field, was great experience working with him as he was very supported[sic]. Very professional and was always willing to assist.” Charmaine Marais, General Manager Legacy Hotels & Resorts, June 2023.
- “Modou is committed and devout in his character and this is evident in his work ethics. . .. I have a high level of respect for Modou and will recommend him to any company without hesitation.” Greg van Wyk, Kuzokulunga Facilities and Maintenance Services, January 2023
- “Mr. Modou Sise is a seasoned and first class Human Resources professional. I have known Mr. Sise for over a decade and during our tenure at The Gambia Tourism Board he was instrumental and lead efforts in introducing and embedding a performance based culture within the staff cadre. It was during his tenure that the P2 staff performance appraisal system was introduced along with succession planning and a meritocracy based reward system.” Benjamin A. Roberts, November 2022
- “Modou is very knowledgeable, competent and pragmatic in all his professional dealings. He is a team player, attentive to detail and a keen listener. He would be a great asset anywhere.”
Mamodou Bah, Director General, Food Safety and Quality Authority, November 2022
- “I had the pleasure of working with Modou in The Gambia where we opened the 1 st 5 star deluxe property. Modou joined us as Human Resources Manager. . .”. I was very impressed with the way he approached and managed all challenges and overcame all hurdles. I wish Modou all the best of success for his future and would recommend him as an asset to any property.” Jennifer Buhr, Sheraton Hotel and Spa, November 2012
My professional relationship with Modou began in 2012 at the EFSTH, when he was serving as the Human Resource Manager, and I was the president of the Gambia Association of Resident Doctors (GARD). He was always supportive of the Association in its strive to achieve its goal. We worked with him on a range of issues for the welfare of the Doctors at the time.
On the morning of January 12, he called on the phone and informed me that he was admitted the previous evening. I told him I would go to see him. I did not know that would be the last time I would speak with him forever. So, on receiving the news of his passing later that evening, for someone that young and full of potentials I got completely floored, devastated, and sadden beyond words. Melancholic.
Modou, through his close friendship with Mr. Abou Mass, the Deputy Programme Manager, at the NCCP, with whom he had been together in the early 2000s in UK, where he did his university education, came, and volunteered his expertise as we worked on establishing the NCCP.
Although funded by the World Health Organization (WHO), Modou led the development of the National Cancer Control Strategy (NCCS), from drawing the roadmap to the validation of document on gratis. In essence, he served as the consultant for the development of the document pro bono. When we went to write the first draft of the NCCS at Tendaba, Modou fuelled his personal vehicle and came to join us.
When the NCCS was reviewed by three independent reviewers from the Union for International Cancer Control (UICC), the US National Cancer Institute (NCI) and the Strategic Health Concepts (SHC) through the technical assistance project of the International Cancer Control Partnership (ICCP), overall, it scored higher than the average for AFRO region countries, as well as the average for global national cancer control plans reviewed in all components of cancer control spectrum. ICCP were amazed to know that the development of the document was led by a ‘local consultant’ free of charge.
I remember on the morning of its validation at the Ocean Bay Hotel in Bakau, Mr. Abou Mass came to me and said “Chief, Mr. Gassama (Momodou Gassama) of WHO said his colleagues at WHO are very much impressed with your strategic plan”. In response to him, I pointed at Modou Sise who was sitting on my immediate left and said, “It is his, and not mine”. During my welcoming remarks, I had to thank him: “Special thanks goes to Mr. Modou Sise, Organizational Development Expert. Mr. Sise, we cannot thank you enough. He has been with us from the beginning . . .” The Minister of Health, Dr. Ahmadou L. Samateh, also thanked him for the support he had been rendering to the NCCP.
In costing and the development of the M&E Framework of the NCCS, even though Africa CDC, which funded the exercise, came with their experts—Health Economist and an M&E Specialist—Modou took the lead to streamline and synchronize the two processes.
He was also involved in the development of the various cancer control guidelines. He guided those processes too, free of charge. During these activities, too, he drove himself to Tendaba at no cost to the NCCP. There were times when ‘I would feel shy’ to ask him to do certain things, since we were not paying him; Mr. Mass would tell me not to worry as Modou had said he enjoyed doing them.
For the implementation of the NCCS, he already drafted the Resource Mobilization Strategy ahead of time, without anyone asking him to. He also began work on drafting the National Cancer Control Policy.
There were occasions when we met at the La Parisienne Restaurant on Kairaba Avenue during weekends, as we worked on some of the documents, he would pay for the foods ordered. One time, I told him, “naaa, we brought you here, so we should pay for the foods”, he said “aaaah, this is nothing”.
Just recently at the National Quantification Exercise to quantify the national requirement for all health commodities, to answer questions about assumptions made, the formulae used, among other technical details as related to costing of the chemotherapy drugs, I asked him if he could come and make an elucidation on that. He told me to just tell him the time and he would be there. He came the very next morning and made the explanation. By this, he made an impression on the participants. Several of them took his contact details after his deliberation. I recall one of them came to me and said “Oh this is Modou Sise. I have been hearing his name, but I have never met him.”
Modou was a highly professional individual, who adhered to standards and strived for excellence. At the same time, he was down-to-earth, kindhearted and always ready to give assistance. He had a great sense of humor too.
His passing is indeed a profound loss to The Gambia and all those who had the privilege of working with him.
May Allah SWT grant him Jannah.
