By Stellamaries Amuwa, Abuja
About 3,000 Federal Capital Territory (FCT) residents is set to benefit from Noor Dubai Cataract Eye Camp which is the foundation’s first free Cataract Eye Camp.
Dr Manal Taryam, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Noor Dubai Foundation, made this known at the flag-off of a 10 – day free cataract eye camp intervention sponsored by the Foundation in Abuja.
Dr.Taryam stated that the goal of the camp is to address eye challenges through check-up, surgeries and issuing of free eye glasses. The Noor Dubai cataract eye camp is in collaboration with Inclusive Eye Care Foundation, DP World Foundation, Asokoro District Hospital, and the Health Services and Environment Secretariat,(HSES) FCTA.
She said, “Noor Dubai Foundation, a Dubai based Non-Government Organisation (NGO) specialised in prevention of blindness has launched today its first eye camp in Abuja. The Humanitarian campaign is in collaboration with Inclusive eye care foundation a Nigerian NGO, and DP World Foundation. We have so far helped over 32 million beneficiaries in over 23 three countries. Today we launch our cataract camp in Abuja and this is not the first time we’ve work in Nigeria; we have had a successful programme, which is the comprehensive eye care programme in Katsina State.”
According to her, a gesture had been done in Kaduna. “What is interesting is that we work on improving the infrastructure of three eye hospitals and over 250 primary care centers, vision and screening centers, and we also try to empower the staffs. The 10 days eye camp hosted by Asokoro District Hospital and the HSES FCTA will provide free screening and treatment to over 3,000 people including 250 cataract surgeries. The programme will involve screening for disabling eye diseases such as cataract, and refractive errors and providing medical treatment, eye glasses and surgery to treat common eye disorders.
“The Noor Dubai Foundation successfully concluded a comprehensive eye care programme in Katsina state which started back in 2019, and included upgrading services in three major hospitals. We also upgraded 250 primary health care centers and vision screening centers, the program provided nearly 12,000 successful eye surgeries, 25,000 free medical consultations and treatments, ‘’she said .
Also speaking, Dr. Gadzama Dan, Acting Director HSES FCTA Public Health Department, said that the initiative to help provide eye surgeries, glasses and check-up was laudable for the less privileged. “This programme is focused on the less privileged people in our society, we in the health secretariat has as our mandate the responsibility to ensure that we have equity.
That is why we have mobilised people from the various parts of the FCT to come to Asokoro hospital to receive free cataract surgeries and other eye care treatment, ’’he said.
Some of the beneficiaries of the free eye care and surgeries initiative lauded the Noor Dubai Foundation for coming to their aid as eye care treatment or surgery was expensive.
