A team of eye experts from ABM University NHS Trust have returned from Africa with a clearer view on 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 was led by Singleton based Consultant Ophthalmologist, David Laws, along with Stella Elliott, Operational Support Manager for Ophthalmology, who is an experienced Ophthalmology nurse; Judy Browett, Ophthalmology Sister in Out-patients and Orthoptist Cheryl Madeira-Cole, whose expertise includes rehabilitation of children’s vision.
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, setting them a timetable of goals that we can gauge 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.”
Representatives from the Gambia will visit Swansea on the 8th July for one week to look at hospital and community services that manage eye care, as well as receive presentations from experts from the Trust and University. The six representatives from Africa will include the Director of the country’s National Eye Care Programme.
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
Judy Browett ex 5966 / Cheryl Madeira-Cole ex 5213.
Tissue processor
Written by Administrator
Thursday, 10 July 2008
Martin Thomas prepares and packs up the tissue processor.
The tissue processor left the Swansea NHS Trust last month for the pathology department at the Royal Victoria Teaching Hospital in The Gambia, with the help of Health the Gambia (see article below).
Wales for Africa Health Links Group Conference, Swansea, June 27th 2008.
Written by Administrator
Tuesday, 01 July 2008
The theme of this year's conference was “Increasing the impact of Health Links”. The conference was hosted by the Swansea-Gambia Link (now the ABM University NHS Trust - Gambia Link)and held at the Dylan Thomas Centre, Swansea. The conference was supported by the Welsh Assembly Government Wales for Africa Initiative, the Wales Centre for Health and the NPHS for Wales.
Following a welcome by Mr. Biku Ghosh (Chair, Wales for Africa Health Links Group) the Rt. Hon Rhodri Morgan AM, First Minister, Welsh Assembly Government reported on "Wales for Africa – progress and plans”. Steve Allen (ABM University NHS Trust - Gambia Link) then outlined the main aim for the day which was to consider how Wales - Africa Health Links might be able to increase their impact. In particular, two themes were to be considered: firstly, how Links may better work together and secondly, how Links might work with other agencies active in health and broader development issues in Africa.
The day consisted of short presentations - both from existing Wales-Africa Health Links and a number of leaders representing these other agencies. All of the presentations were both informative and inspiring. Participants gained many useful and practical insights into how we may increase the impact of Links. The final session of the day was an inspiring presentation by the Swansea medical students with Madikoi Danso, a student colleague from The Gambia, about the Swansea-Gambia medical student link. This looked to the future and made a number of demands regarding improving training and experience in international health for young health professionals early in their careers. We were fortunate that each of the sessions was chaired with great expertise with the chairs adding insights based on their own wide experience. During the breaks, participants visited a number of stalls providing information about Wales-Africa Health Links and numerous other organisations.
The day finished with a discussion forum led by Biku Ghosh. This reviewed suggestions and comments by the participants captured during the day on flip charts. These will be combined with notes taken from the presentations and discussions to form a short list of key actions that may increase the impact of Wales-Africa Links.
The documents supporting the conference can be found here:
The Talent Show , organised by the Swansea medicine students, was a great success. Acts from the students themselves, doctors from the NHS Trust, housemates, friends and family included pop and ethnic dancing, music and song. The night raised £300 for the link. Here are some photos from the night, and I hope the students will add some more information to their section.
Here are some of the acts:
The Sundrops (Helena Wilcox and Mike Carnell, 1st year medical students).
Alex Werhun, Senior House Office and Ros Thomas, Chief Podiatrist, presented the ELearning Module in the Diabetic Foot to a group of general practitioners during their annual update in diabetes. Two sessions were held at the Liberty Stadium Conference Room during May 2008. The sessions were very well attended and the feedback from the GPs regarding the work done in collaboration with colleagues in The Gambia was highly favourable.
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