Sheikh Zayed, a regional eye care centre, will be officially open in the country today.

The eye-care centre, which will serve eight West African countries, was hailed by Africans leaders and NGOs as a historic example of regional cooperation and global partnership to ensure health care.

The Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahayan, a charitable and humanitarian foundation, based in the Middle East, donated US$1.5 million towards the new facility.

The centre is expected to treat hundreds of thousands of people with sight infections, such as cataract, as well as strain eye surgeons and nurses to work across West Africa, in order to boost the Health For Peace Initiative (HFPI) in Guinea, Guinea Bissau, The Gambia, Senegal, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Mauritania and Mali. This initiative was set up six years ago to tackle major health issues affecting the region.

According to reports the Department of State for Health, in collaboration with the Sight Savers International (SSI), have been working for the past 15 years in developing what is now widely recognised as being the most effective and comprehensive eye-care system in West Africa.

The occasion will be attended by President Yahya Jammeh and representative from the eight HFPI countries, Sheikh Zayed Foundation, and Sight Savers International. The visiting representatives will also attend The Gambia’s Independence anniversary celebration.