UAE | General
Sudanese children next in line for Noor treatment
Twelve-year-old Gofran Abdul Kareem Sul-aiman's school grades leave much to be desired.
- By Nina Muslim, Staff Reporter
- Published: 23:52 September 15, 2008
- Dr Sara Hamid Abdullah, ophthalmologist with the Sudan Health Ministry, checks 12-year-old Gofran Abdul Kareem Sulaiman’s eyes before surgery.
- Image Credit: Nina Muslim/Gulf News
Dubai: Twelve-year-old Gofran Abdul Kareem Sul-aiman's school grades leave much to be desired.
The girl from Sudan gets Cs in class, something she is not proud of. "I can't see the blackboard," she told Gulf News through an interpreter. "I can't see far into the distance. I have problems in school."
Gofran has a squint, an eye condition characterised by a misalignment of the eyes, making it difficult for her to see. At three years old, her family noticed that her right eye could not focus correctly and had moved inward. She had surgery to correct it two years ago, but it did not fix the problem.
There is nothing wrong with her intellect. She is friendly, slightly shy and sweet, but she cannot see straight unless she concentrates hard. During the conversation, her right eye would drift to the side occasionally.
International effort
Gofran is one of the six children from Sudan who arrived late on Sunday night to benefit from Noor Dubai, the brainchild of His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, which seeks to correct and prevent blindness in more than one million people worldwide. About 600 people have been selected so far from various countries including Iraq, Egypt, Afghanis-tan and Sudan.
Dr Sara Hamid Abdullah, an ophthalmologist with the Sudanese Ministry of Health accompanying the children, said the initiative means a brighter future for these people.
"The children are poor and from very low socio-economic backgrounds. It's a good chance for the children to do the operation and save their eyesight," she said.
She said the most common problem among the children was squints. Others include congenital cataracts and retinal problems. Some have had surgery at a charity hospital in Sudan, but need further surgery to restore vision.
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