The International Bilingual Eye Care conference on Primary Eye Care opened recently at the Paradise Suites Hotel.

Dr Malick S Njie, secretary of state for Health and Social Welfare opened the conference with over 100 delegates and experts hailing from the sub-region with the objective to review the current concept of primary eye care in West Africa and to further facilitate its effective operation.

Addressing the opening session, SoS Njie, welcomed the sub-regional delegates to The Gambia and extended thanks to the organisers for choosing The Gambia as the venue for such an important conference.

SoS Njie further underscored the successful strategies that The Gambia has adopted on primary health care which included the development of necessary legislations, standardisation of equipment, development and implementation of strategies for eye care services and the development of training modules.

He also emphasised the remarkable coordination of the 'Health for Peace Initiative' for the Prevention of Blindness in the sub-region adding that this has resulted in the establishment of a regional eye ophthalmic training programme which is attracting more candidates from the HFPI countries.

'To this effect, a regional eye care centre has been constructed here in The Gambia with the support from Sight Savers International to serve as a centre of excellence in the region" he stated.

SoS Njie further highlighted the factors that led to the success of The Gambia National Eye Care Programme ranging from the as Gambia government's unflinching commitment, predictable and sustained support from by Sight Savers International, the availability of trained manpower and well monitored programs, the designs of which were informed by a baseline survey.