The Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, in collaboration with Sight Savers International recently held a graduation ceremony for Ophthalmic students, at the School of Nursing in Banjul.
Speaking at the graduation ceremony, the Deputy Director of Health Services, Dr. Adama Demba said the government is working extremely hard to meet the eye health needs of not just the Gambian population, but the entire sub-region.
According to him, the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, in collaboration with their partners Sight Savers International, MRC, WHO, and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine sees human resource development as fundamental to achieving their goal. He said the Health for Peace Initiative Prevention of Blindness Component, which The Gambia is coordinating, has human resource development as one of its major components.
For his part, Dr. Winston Ceesay, the Chief Executive for Sheikh Zayed Regional Eye Care Centre, said that the eye care team was generally thought of as an integrated working unit consisting of ophthalmologists, a mid-level cadre of eye care personnel, primary eye care providers, and support personnel, such as managers.
He noted that the optimally functioning workforce is essential to attaining the Millennium Development Goals, which is also dependent on skilled, supported and motivated health care personnel.
