The death has been announced of Gambia’s former Health Minister Dr. Omar Sey following a long illness.
Dr. Sey, a leading Cataract Surgeon in Health for Peace Initiative in sub-Saharan Africa, by the time of his death, was the Chairman of The Gambia Football Federation (GFF) Medical Committee as well as the GFF/CAF Covid-19 Officer.
Dr. Sey had a Master of Science Degree in Community Eye Health and was a member of the Advisory Board of COVIMRO, a science-led orthomolecular healthcare institute.
He was the only African descendant in their four-man Advisory Board.
He also held a Higher Diploma in Cataract Surgery, a General Ophthalmology Certificate and is a Fellow in Hospital Administration & Health Services Management of the National Institute of Public Health, Japan as well as an alumnus of the Ministerial Leadership Programme, Harvard School of Public Health, USA.
“Dr. Sey’s demise is a very sad and huge loss for not only the medical profession but The Gambia as a whole. Since his appointment as the Chairman of the GFF Medical Committee four years ago, he has worked with passion and contributed immensely to the achievements we’ve registered as a Federation in the area of health and footballers’ health,” Lamin Kaba Bajo the President of the GFF said.
A down to earth human being, passionate about his job and a foot soldier who’s very much actively involved in what he does, one of the many legacies he left behind is that Mr. Sey was on the forefront of the health profession by positively impacting on people’s lives.
He served as Yahya Jammeh’s last Health Minister, a position he held from 2013 to 2017. Between 2004 to 2009, he was the Chief Executive Officer of the Farafenni General Hospital and later Permanent Secretary Technical, at the Ministry of Health & Social Welfare until his Cabinet appointment.
Dr. Sey, an Executive Board Member of the World Health Organisation (2014 to 2017), and a member of the Programme, Budget and Administration Committee & Rapporteur of the Executive Council of the WHO, he was a champion for the implementation of SAFE, a strategic initiative by the UN organisation in Trachoma control and implementation. He served as the Liaison Officer for the West African Health Organisation (WAHO) for The Gambia from 2009 to 2011.
He also received international awards from the WHO’s World No Tobacco Day, West Africa College of Nursing and Regional Eye Care Training Programme.
Source: GFF
