Seeing a brighter future in Africa

A link that will see Swansea eye experts help improve the way that patients are treated in Africa has been signed and sealed in the city today.

A delegation from The Gambia are visiting Swansea this week to look at hospital and community services that manage eye care, as well as receive presentations from experts at the Trust and University.

The African visitors met Swansea Council's ord Mayor and Lady Mayoress at the Guildhall, along with their Trust hosts, to sign a Memorandum of Understanding between the ophthalmology units in Swansea and The Gambia.

It follows a visit from ABM University NHS Trust and Swansea University to Africa earlier this year to look at how they can help reduce the incidence of blindness and poor sight among children in The Gambia.

The week-long trip formed part of the Swansea-Gambia Link, which is a partnership between ABM University NHS Trust, Swansea University's School of Medicine, Sheikh Zayed Regional Eye Care Centre and the Royal Victoria Teaching Hospital, University of The Gambia.

The team of four jetted out to the tiny West African country to carry out a scoping mission in the hope of identifying priority areas for improvement with staff at the Regional Eye Centre, and help them become an international centre of excellence.

The link was set-up as part of the World Health Organisation's Vision 2020 project – a global initiative for the elimination of avoidable blindness. It was also supported by Sightsavers International, a charity which works to combat blindness in developing countries.

The Trust's team has been led by Singleton-based Consultant Ophthalmologist, David Laws.

Mr Laws explained: "The Sheikh Zayad Eye Hospital is in a good starting position, they have achieved a lot with few resources but there are clearly many areas in which we can team up to help improve the service they offer.

"Africa has the highest rates of childhood blindness in the world and we'll be focusing our support initially on ways we can help to restore sight to children."

He said that there were four categories in particular of sight problems with children that his team would be concentrating on:

• Preventing blindness

• Developmental problems;

• Children who need glasses to correct their vision, and

• Eye conditions like childhood cataracts, which can be treated.

"We'll also be helping improve their audit and research systems, and setting a timetable of goals that we can gauge together through visits and remotely over the internet," added Mr Laws.

"The Vision 2020 project wanted a UK department that had the skills and expertise to help bring real improvements in Gambia, so we're pleased to have such a positive endorsement."

Swansea Lord Mayor Cllr Gareth Sullivan said: "I am delighted that Swansea eye experts will be helping improve the way that patients are treated in Africa.

"I am proud to host the Gambia delegation and honoured to witness the Memorandum of Understanding between the ophthalmology units in Swansea and The Gambia."

Chairman Win Griffiths, who signed the agreement on behalf of the Trust, commented: "This is another significant step forward in our partnership with The Gambia. Both sides have much to learn and I look to it going from strength-to-strength."

Swansea Lord Mayor Cllr Gareth Sullivan said: "I am delighted that Swansea eye experts will be helping improve the way that patients are treated in Africa.

"I am proud to host the Gambia delegation and honoured to witness the Memorandum of Understanding between the ophthalmology units in Swansea and The Gambia."

Mr Ansumana Sillah said: "Our visit has been fantastic so far – we have seen the hospital (at Singleton) today and we are very excited.

"It's important that we've been able to put forward this committment."

The eye link is being funded by donations and fundraising activities. Anyone who wants to find out more about sponsoring the eye link should contact David Laws or Stella Elliott on 01792 285037, by email DAVID.LAWS@wales.nhs.uk or Judy Browett ex. 5966 and Cheryl Madeira-Cole ex. 5213.

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This page last updated on July 17 2008