The Independent (Banjul)
Lamin Njie
25 October 2002
Banjul — Arrangements are in the offing for a regional eye care centre to be built in The Gambia according to Ansumana Sillah of the Brikama Health Centre.
Mr. Sillah revealed during ceremonies marking World Sight Day, Thursday that the centre would serve as a training centre for the sub-region under the supervision of Sight Savers International. Mr. Sillah further added that The Gambia Eye Control Programme is a role model around the West Africa region, making the country a suitable regional home for eye care research.
Sillah speaking on the theme 'Help Make Childhood Blindness Disappear' stated that The Gambia was also nominated to coordinate Eye Care Programmes in the sub-region due to its leading role in the prevention of blindness.
Speaking earlier, the Commissioner of Western Division, Momodou Lamin Jobarteh said World Blind Day celebration focuses on the problems of blindness and its devastating effects in society. He said it is the duty of humanity to fight blindness in order to prevent avoidable blindness by 2020.
For his part, Momodou Bah of Sight Savers International said there are 45 million blind people and 135 million visually impaired people worldwide. Bah said that 80 percent, of such cases of blindness could have been prevented or cured. He challenged stakeholders to work together as partners to achieve their goals.
Similar sentiments were echoed by Bakary Ceesay of Health Department and Mohammed Kora, National President of the Gambia Organisation for the Visually Impaired (GOVI).
The celebration was marked by a march pass by the Police Band, school children and Kary Leing -Women Groups from the Brikama Health Centre, to the Commissioner's Office.
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