Noor Dubai" initiative to check blindness launched
"Noor Dubai" -- an initiative to help WHO and International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness to prevent visual impairment in developing countries was launched by UAE Vice-President Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Makhtoum on Wednesday.
By PTI |
DUBAI : "Noor Dubai" -- an initiative to help WHO and International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness to prevent visual impairment in developing countries was launched by UAE Vice-President Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Makhtoum on Wednesday.
The initiative will help achieve goals outlined in the WHO-IAPB VISION 2020: the Right to Sight. It will provide health services to one million people suffering from treatable blindness and visual impairment in developing countries on a local, regional, and international scale.
Through its programmes, "Noor Dubai" will help people suffering from three major eye diseases: Cataract, which is the leading cause of blindness in the world affecting 18 mn people representing 48 per cent of the total number of blind people; Strabismus that affects over 5 per cent of children worldwide; and Corneal opacities which is responsible for the blindness of 4.9 mn people.
"Noor Dubai" will work in close coordination of two leading international organisations Lions Clubs International and ORBIS International which is best known for its "Flying Eye Hospitals" an opthalmic hospital located on board a jet aircraft whose mission is to treat and prevent blindness.
Lions Club is the world's largest volunteer organisation with an international network of 1.3 mn members in 202 countries.
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The initiative which was launched by Emirate's Vice-President Sheikh Mohammed who is also the Prime Minister of UAE and ruler of Dubai was attended attended by a number of dignitaries, government officials, diplomats, businessmen and the media. The event also marks the holy month of Ramadan. Download
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