Noor Dubai will set up an eye camp in Gaza to cure children and adults with preventable blindness and visual impairment. The camp aims to cure people who are suffering from eye injuries and diseases caused by the conflict in Gaza. In addition, the camp will also screen and treat people suffering from non-war related ophthalmic diseases.
His Excellency Qadhi Saeed Al Murooshid, CEO of Noor Dubai and Director General of the Dubai Health Authority(DHA) said, "It is a decree from His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice president of the UAE, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, that Noor Dubai participates in providing the much-needed aid to the people of Gaza. Noor Dubai will not have a cut off on the number of people we register in Gaza. We will treat all patients with ophthalmic disorders that come to the camp as well as those referred to us from nearby hospitals."
The camp will be held in partnership with Al Basar, an NGO that works with Noor Dubai to conduct eye camps globally. International ophthalmologists, a team of nursing staff trained in eye care and volunteers who are interested in reaching out to the people of Gaza, will be part of the camp.
Noor Dubai is presently in talks with international experts on the possibility of conducting the eye camp in Gaza as soon as possible. Officials are working with Noor Dubai to set up the eye camp in the a strategic location, to ensure easy accessibility to treat and transfer patients. Al Murooshid said, "The eye camp in Gaza is a reflection of our solidarity to support the people of |Gaza, upon who the humanitarian crisis was inflicted during the recent conflict."
Noor Dubai's vision is to cure one million people suffering from preventable blindness and visual impairment. In addition to conducting eye surgeries, the camp will also provide medication like antibiotics, eye drops and ointment as well as distribute spectacles to patients.
Noor Dubai has completed its first phase of providing therapeutic care in Dubai on 20th November, 2008 and has treated over 800 patients in Dubai who were flown in from Palestine, Iraq, Sudan, Jordan, Mali, Egypt, Syria and the GCC region. So far, Noor Dubai has successfully conducted eye camps in Sudan, Pakistan and Sir Lanka. In Sudan, Noor Dubai cured more than 14,000 individuals, in Pakistan 12,000 individuals and In Sri Lanka 14,000 individuals were cured.
Noor Dubai will head off to Yemen on 26th January, 2009, to treat people in its camp located in Hodeida district. Thereafter, Noor Dubai will visit Nigeria, Niger, Chad and Bangladesh. In February 2009, as part of the objectives of WHO Vision 2020 program, Noor Dubai will begin a one year program in partnership with Lions Club, an NGO, to provide medication to treat and prevent river blindness in four African countries. River blindness is an infection that is predominant in African countries. It leads to skin infections and blindness. Noor Dubai will visit Cameroon, Ethiopia, Sudan and Mali to provide medication that can treat and prevent river blindness.
In addition, Noor Dubai has also signed a partnership agreement with Orbis, the flying eye hospital, that will begin its program in Ethiopia in March 2009 to treat patients suffering from all forms of preventable blindness and visual impairment.