By Aminata Kuyateh
The Sheikh Zayed Regional Eye Care Centre (SZRECC) over the weekend graduated 53 ophthalmic professionals from 19 Anglophone and Francophone African countries, marking the largest cohort since the Regional Ophthalmic Training Programme (ROTP) was established in 2001/2002.
The graduation ceremony, held at Ebujan Theatre in Kanifing, brought together health officials, eye care specialists, partners and families to celebrate the achievements of the graduates, who completed training in various eye care disciplines.
Speaking at the ceremony, Regional Ophthalmic Training Programme Courses Coordinator Ebrima Sillah described the graduation as both the culmination of years of hard work and the beginning of a new professional journey.
He said the graduates had demonstrated resilience, determination and commitment throughout their training, despite the many challenges they encountered. He also noted that all 53 candidates who sat examinations from 14 to 17 July successfully completed the programme, with 24 obtaining distinctions, 25 credits and four passes.
According to him, there were no examination failures, misconduct or malpractice cases, reflecting the high standards maintained by the programme.
Sillah added that seven outstanding students received awards for exceptional performance in cataract surgery, optometry, ophthalmic nursing and orthoptics, including a special prize for the most disciplined optometry student.
SZRECC CEO and ophthalmologist Dr Winston Ceesay congratulated the graduates, describing their success as the reward for years of dedication, sacrifice and perseverance.
He reminded them that eye care is a profession founded on compassion, care and healing, urging them to carry out their duties with humility and professionalism. He also encouraged the graduates to remain passionate about their work, stressing that genuine commitment to the profession is essential to delivering quality healthcare and improving patients’ lives.
Providing an update on the country’s eye health services, Bakary Dibba said the National Eye Health Programme continues to expand access to quality eye care through a network of 10 secondary eye care units across The Gambia, with the newest centres located in Brufut and Bundung.
He explained that the expansion was supported by the Ministry of Health, Sightsavers International and the OneSight EssilorLuxottica Foundation, which helped transform the facilities into fully equipped vision centres staffed by trained eye care professionals.
Dibba further revealed that the Sheikh Zayed Regional Eye Care Centre remains the country’s main referral facility for specialised eye care and disclosed plans to establish another secondary eye unit in the Central River Region North, either in Kaur or Kuntaur. He added that the programme is also working with partners to deploy eye health personnel to nearby health facilities within the Kanifing Municipality to reduce pressure on the referral centre.
Also addressing the graduates, Western One Health Director Musa Camara congratulated them on reaching an important milestone, saying their knowledge and skills would contribute significantly to reducing preventable blindness, restoring sight and improving the quality of life of individuals, families and communities across Africa.