Eye Care in The Gambia
The Gambia is widely acknowledged to have one of the most
forward-thinking policies on eye sight problems on the African
continent.
"The Gambia established a National Eye care Programme
following our prevalence survey of blindness and eye diseases
in 1986," said Dr Yakumba Kassama, the country's Health
Minister, recently.
"The leading causes of blindness in The Gambia are cataracts,
glaucoma, and cornoreal opacities.
"Based on the fact that these conditions are either
preventable and/or curable... The Gambia actually focussed
on the primary healthcare approach."
Dr Kassama said that this "primary healthcare approach"
involved making services "affordable, accessible, and
appropriate."
"Every five years we have a plan of action which is
developed, with particular emphasis on human resource deployment,"
he said.
He added that The Gambia was taking advantage of "appropriate
technology" - to help its blind - such as building and
equipping of secondary eye care centres, and the local production
of eye drops.
"We are even saving money rather than spending,"
he said.
"At the same time [we are] getting access to the community
and addressing the issue at primary level."
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