Dubai: Noor Dubai Foundation, a UAE-based charity focused on the prevention of blindness and visual impairment globally, recently launched a campaign to promote early diagnosis of eye disorders in Hatta.
As part of the campaign, the foundation will provide free eye checks and treatment to residents of Hatta. The campaign partners include Hatta Hospital, the Community Development Authority (CDA), Al Jaber Optical, as well as a number of government and private entities in Hatta.
So far, 500 residents have benefitted from this campaign, and the foundation has provided 152 glasses and referred more than 78 patients to hospitals in Dubai to seek treatment in collaboration with Noor Dubai Foundation.
Beneficiaries
Awadh Seghayer Al Ketbi, Chairman of the Board of the Noor Dubai Foundation and Director-General of the Dubai Health Authority (DHA), highlighted that Noor Dubai was launched by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, and since its inception until 2022, it has succeeded in benefitting 33 million people around the world, through its treatment, preventive and awareness programmes.
In the UAE, Noor Dubai has screened 34,977 residents and provided surgical treatment to over 266 patients.
Al Ketbi expressed his thanks and gratitude to all the partners and contributors and highlighted that Noor Dubai Foundation is dedicated to creating an impactful contribution in the field of humanitarian and charitable aid.
Preventable visual empairment
He emphasised that this stems from the values of the leaders and reflects the values of the UAE society that pays great emphasis on social and humanitarian work.
Al Ketbi highlighted that the Foundation has achieved continuous successes in combating all forms of preventable visual impairments and their causes, at the local and global level. He added that the Foundation has developed a sustainable programme to reduce the causes of blindness and visual impairment.
Al Ketbi highlighted that at the United Nations 75th General Assembly that was held in July 2021, the assembly adopted a draft resolution aimed at ensuring global access to eye care in order to help achieve Goal No 3 of the Sustainable Development Goals.
The assembly identified two indicators for measuring success: effective coverage of disease treatment and treatment of cataract and refractive errors. They discussed how eye care can be transformative, with a simple test or a pair of glasses making the difference for going to work or school.
Helping combat eye diseases
Al Ketbi emphasised that Noor Dubai Foundation is committed to continue serving populations across the globe to help combat preventable eye diseases and recognises the impact of eye problems on the health and lives of those affected, from quality of life to learning and livelihood.
At a national level, the Foundation provides free eye screenings and consultations to the UAE community through the Mobile Eye Clinic programme.
The clinic provides free eye screening and referral to hospital for cases that need further treatment.
