The Bansang Swiss Project free eyecare screening initiative celebrated an additional milestone on Friday with the completion of its 6th screening session, which took place in Bansang Upper and Senior Secondary School.
First held in December 2023, the free eye care screening initiative has for its goal to enable students and community members to be tested by expert Bansang Hospital staff, under the leadership of the Initiative Coordinator and Optometrist Mr. Tata S Jobe. Two more schools will be visited from September onwards, once school resumes.
Over the last nine months, the association organised six screenings in school facilities of the Bansang region with the help of Regional Coordinator Yahya Faal.
Bringing together young and old, the initiative aims to identify any eye conditions the students and community members may be battling with and offer a professional medical assessment and further follow up appointments to all, where necessary. The schools visited so far are Njoren Basic Cycle School, Daru Lower Basic School, Dobangkunda Lower Basic School and Bansang Upper Senior Secondary School.
With still two more schools to visit, the final screening figures and findings will be published in the coming months. Founded in December 2017, The Bansang Swiss Project is a family run non-profit association whose goal is to support the education of youths in the region of Bansang. It is committed to supporting local initiatives geared towards empowering the next generation through education. It is the belief that the broader wellbeing of students must be actively protected, which led the association to launch this healthcare focused initiative.
To date 1786 students and 80 teachers and community members have been screened.
Discussing this special project, Caroline (Briggs) Ambrosi de Magistris Verzier – founder of the association, said: “Good eyesight and education go hand in hand. In order to offer students the possibility to fulfill their potential, in and outside the classroom, it is crucial to inform students about the importance of eyecare. I would like to thank the Honourable Minister of Health, Dr. Ahmadou Lamin Samateh for supporting the initiative and deploying trained staff to support our Initiative Coordinator and Optometrist Mr. Tata S. Jobe. These screenings would not be possible without the crucial work of our Local Coordinator Mr. Yahya Faal, who has been facilitating the logistical challenges in partnership with the Heads of schools and community leaders”.
Praising the initiative, the Minister of Health, Dr. Ahmadou Lamin Samateh, said: “The health and wellbeing of Gambians is of the highest importance. By offering this free Eyecare Screening Initiative, The Bansang Swiss Project is allowing for the youths, their families and broader members of the community to highlight the importance of identifying health issues and taking steps to tackle them. We take great pride in the Bansang Hospital Eye Care Medical team led by Tata S. Jobe, which has carried out this momentous task of screening 1786 students and 80 adults – teachers and community members – so far, over the last couple of months. We thank them for their continued service. I would also like to thank Caroline Briggs Ambrosi de Magistris Verzier, Founder of The Bansang Swiss Project, for taking forward the close coordination amongst all parties in making this initiative a success. The Ministry of Health thanks The Bansang Swiss Project for the continued support it is rendering to the communities in and around Bansang”.. www.thebansangswissproject.org
