Qatar Charity has carried out three campaigns to fight blindness in Nigeria in co-ordination with the local government and the Ministry of Health.
Qatar Charity work covers all the medical care needs of the beneficiaries, including examinations, surgeries, medicines, and eyeglasses, based on its 2018-2020 strategy to combat blindness and the WHO plan.
In Scotu, Kano, and Yobe, the three camps witnessed a great turnout, with more than 3,425 patients examined, and 317 operations were performed.
Doctors also gave educational lectures on preventing eye diseases and awareness of the coronavirus, and ways to prevent it.
The campaigns were widely welcomed by the local authorities.
Commissioner of Health in Yobe state Dr Adamu Abdullahi hailed the aid provided by Qatar Charity in Nigeria, especially in the health sector, saying that the medical camp to combat blindness in Yobe state was implemented in partnership with the state government, while valuing Qatar Charity’s keenness to provide its services to the poor, needy and orphans in rural areas.
For his part, Commissioner of Health in Scotu state Dr Mohamed Ali praised this gesture, and said that the medical camp in the state conducted more than 100 surgeries and distributed 600 glasses for patients from poor families and the families of orphans.
According to Qatar Charity 2018-2022 strategy to combat blindness, and within its plan, during the next five years, it will provide medical services to eye patients in 14 selected countries.
Medical examination and dispensing of medicines to 1mn eye patients, 60,000 surgeries will be performed, in addition to training and qualification of 50 doctors in modern eye surgery methods, and the establishment of five centrers and clinics specialised in eye diseases and surgery.
Qatar Charity has contributed with many partners to alleviate the causes of visual impairment that lead to blindness in many countries through various programmes and activities such as implementing specialised medical camps for eye diseases in many countries, including Yemen, Sudan, and Niger.