UAE | Health
Flying eye hospital seeks to attract volunteers in UAE
The world's only flying eye hospital, part of charity organisation ORBIS, is targeting the UAE and other countries to help millions of people suffering from preventable blindness in the region.
- By Nina Muslim, Staff Reporter
- Published: 00:09 June 9, 2008
Dubai: The world's only flying eye hospital, part of charity organisation ORBIS, is targeting the UAE and other countries to help millions of people suffering from preventable blindness in the region.
The DC-10 aircraft is in Dubai as part of a goodwill tour in Middle East to raise awareness and invite support for their work.
After Dubai, the plane will leave for Syria, where they will provide training to local doctors and surgical care to patients.
Dr David Hunter Cherwek, medical director of ORBIS, told Gulf News the UAE was well-placed to assist the group as it had a high rate of diabetes, which can cause blindness, medical experts and a well-to-do population, as well as expertise on regional issues.
"We'd like volunteers from the UAE. What we really need is technical expertise. Not just medically, but also to help establish health policies because they have experience in the region."
Geoffrey Holland, executive director and CEO of ORBIS, said the charity has helped set up and strengthen eye surveillance and treatment programmes in various countries.
Onboard surgeries
The DC-10 aircraft, modified to fit a classroom and a surgical theatre, is in Dubai. Surgeries in the operating theatre, always done while the plane is parked on the tarmac, can be viewed via a remote screen in the classroom.
Since 1982, ORBIS with its local partners has trained about 195,000 eye care professionals around the world and helped 6.8 million people.
Share this article
Popular in UAE
-
Your pictures
Readers' pictures
The best reader pictures from around the UAE this week
Latest news
- Etihad to operate double daily flights to Frankfurt
- UAE tops country brand list in the region
- Are you a bookworm?
- Sharjah book fair officially opens
- Help me find my precious cat
- AG expresses confidence in public prosecution's skills
- Meet to discuss ways to secure energy supplies
- Deyaar case: Expert asked to submit detailed report i
- Institute adopts best judicial practices
- Masters in construction law to address sector's concerns
- New council to strike demographic balance
- Technology can negatively affect girls: forum
- Dubai-based British athlete attempts to swim around Palm in record bid
- Steppe Eagle flies back home after enjoying UAE hospitality
- Heavy vehicle speed limits may be introduced
Community Reports
-
Help me find my precious cat
Raif, my cute eight-month-old ‘fur ball', went missing in Abu Dhabi's Al Bateen area last month
-
Pavement parking irks pedestrians
Gulf News reader calls on authorities to step in and stop car owners from invading pathways meant for safe walking
-
Faded parking lines pose a problem
Motorists could be fined for parking incorrectly even though they can hardly see the boundaries in the designated areas
-
School buses block residential parking
Commercial vehicles taking up free parking facilities in Al Wuheida, inconveniencing residents in surrounding villas
