The Ministry of Public Health (MoPH), in collaboration with the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the Primary Health Care Corporation, organised a training workshop in preparation for the second phase of National Blindness and Visual Impairment Survey in Qatar.
The survey aims to identify the prevalence of visual impairment and the causes of blindness through the participation of more than 5,000 people aged 50 and above.
The workshop by Dr Mohamed Mansour, WHO-certified trainer, and consultant ophthalmologist, reviewed the basics and approaches used to implement the survey, with the participation of ophthalmologists and nurses from Al Rayyan, Muaither, Al Gharrafa, Airport and Al Wakra health centres. A team from the MoPH and Dr Mansour carried out field visits to the aforementioned health centres.
Dr Kholoud Ateeq al-Motawaa, head, Non-Communicable Diseases Department, MoPH, said the workshop aims to enhance the data collection phase, raise the rate of response and greater coverage of residential areas in Qatar to successfully complete the survey.
Dr al-Motawaa stressed the importance of research in ophthalmology and the visual sciences, as the National Blindness and Visual Impairment Survey in Qatar will help in implementing eye health and provide the relevant medical sectors with a database to integrate vision and eye health interventions with scientific evidence.
Dr Shadi al-Ashwal, an ophthalmologist at the MoPH, said the second phase of the survey will have eye examinations in10 health centres to detect diabetic retinopathy, glaucoma and cataract using the latest version of the data collection and analysis software called RAAB7.
Dr al-Ashwal urged people who will receive a call from the MoPH to actively partake in the survey as it will benefit them and benefit the health sector in general.
Participants of the workshop
