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Qatar Red Crescent Society (QRCS) implemented a project to support the Nigerien Ministry of Health (MoH) by supplying ophthalmology equipment and eye care medications to health centres across the country.Implemented under a partnership agreement with MoH’s National Eye Health Programme (NEHP), this initiative was aimed at enhancing vital eye health care services in underserved areas. It involved five ophthalmology clinics at health centres in Loga, Dioundiou, and Tibiri, as well as the maternal and childhood centre (Dosso Region), and another in Gazoua (Maradi region). Five pharmacies at these centres were supplied with medications and medical consumables for eye diseases.Another component of the project was to strengthen the capacity of MoH’s regional administration by establishing a modern statistical office to track eye health indicators in the host communities.A joint field delegation from QRCS’ office in Niger and NEHP delivered medical equipment and pharmaceutical supplies recently. Technical teams carried out the distribution, installation, and initial operation of the new units at the target health centres.The provisions included complete eye examination and treatment systems, such as slit lamps, adult and pediatric testing lenses/frames, rechargeable ophthalmoscopes, visual acuity charts, autorefractometers, and Goldmann Applanation Tonometers. Other items included basic surgical equipment such as foreign body removal kits, chalazion kits, and professional consultation chairs.In terms of pharmaceutical supplies, the target clinics were provided with a various stock of ointments, eye drops, examination tools, corrective lenses, and other medical supplies.By giving the locals access to specialised medical services without having to travel long distances, it helps reduce the rates of blindness and visual impairment resulting from treatable conditions such as cataracts.Medical examinations and surgeries are also in progress as part of QRCS’ medical convoy for ophthalmology in Niger. Co-implemented with Hamad Medical Corporation and NEHP, the mission involves medical examinations for a total of 6,000 patients, 1,436 cataract surgeries, distribution of medications for free, and eye health education programme.QRCS is planning to launch a new medical convoy focused on school students, with medications and eyeglasses distributed to 1,000 students who have visual impairment, thus helping improve their health conditions and academic performance.To raise the required QR400,000, donations can be received via QRCS’ website (www.qrcs.qa), mobile app (QRCS), donor service (66666364), home donation collection (33998898), or donation collection points at malls and shopping centres. 

The Qatar Red Crescent Society (QRCS) launched Thursday the 3rd edition of its annual scientific conference, which will last for three days, under the title "Musculoskeletal/Neurological Disorders and Pain Management in Primary Health Care".The opening day of the conference was attended by His Excellency Minister of Public Health Mansoor bin Ebrahim bin Saad al-Mahmoud, His Excellency Director of the Non-Communicable Diseases Prevention Programs Department at the Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) Sheikh Dr Mohamed bin Hamad al-Thani, His Excellency QRCS Secretary-General Faisal Mohamed al-Emadi, QRCS members of the Board of Directors and Secretary-General Assistants.In his opening remarks, His Excellency QRCS President Yousef bin Ali al-Khater said that the conference brings together a group of experts and specialists from various health institutions in the country, who meet together under one roof for three days to discuss and debate the most important topics and issues in the medical field and exchange experiences and information that contribute to improving the level of medical service provided to the public and responding to the latest developments in medical work and its changing challenges.He added that the conference's status is becoming more established year after year as an annual scientific forum that brings together the best professionals in Qatar who carry the noble message of medicine and dedicate themselves day and night to serving humanity and preserving the health and well-being of society. He noted that in each edition of the conference, success is established, interest expands, and the added value that the conference represents for the medical sector and all those working in it is confirmed.He also highlighted the success of QRCS in obtaining accreditation as an educational organization for continuing professional development for five years, after fulfilling all the standards and conditions applied by the MoPH's Department of Health Specialties - Accreditation and Medical Education Department. He noted that this achievement not only represents another milestone in the long history of QRCS, but also a living embodiment of the strategic partnership with the MoPH, through the QRCS's management and operation of workers' health centers for fifteen years.He expressed his pride in the QRCS having the second largest ambulance fleet in the country, in addition to an integrated center for training, research and development. In turn, Director of Training, Research, and Development Center at QRCS and Chairman of the Conference Ghanem Salman al-Sulaiti said that this year’s conference focuses on the topic of "Musculoskeletal/Neurological Disorders and Pain Management in Primary Health Care" because the increasing burden of musculoskeletal and neurological diseases requires a multidisciplinary approach to patient care.He indicated that approximately 242mn people worldwide suffer from rheumatoid arthritis, and that around 200mn women worldwide suffer from osteoporosis. He also pointed out that multiple sclerosis and Parkinson's disease are common neurological diseases affecting millions of people worldwide, according to the World Health Organization.He noted that the conference discusses the latest developments in the field of musculoskeletal and neurological disorders and pain management, and reviews best practices and the latest research in this field. The conference enjoys a strategic partnership with the MoPH, Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC), and the Primary Health Care Corporation (PHCC), in addition to Servier Medical Company as a representative of the private sector.The conference agenda is divided into four components: pre-conference workshops, the main conference track, a parallel track for pharmacists, and a parallel track for physiotherapy and rehabilitation practitioners. The agenda comprises 61 sessions presented by 58 speakers and moderated by 35 facilitators from various healthcare providers across the country.

The Qatar Red Crescent Society (QRCS) has completed a set of humanitarian and development projects in Niger at a total cost of $2,472,220, to meet the needs of 143,298 beneficiaries.Covering the health, shelter, water and sanitation, and livelihood sectors, the projects were implemented in partnership with government authorities and local and community leaders in the target areas, to ensure the effectiveness and sustainability of interventions, QRCS said in a statement.To provide permanent access to safe and sustainable drinking water, boreholes were constructed and equipped with water tanks and solar-powered pumping systems for the benefit of 23 poor villages in Zinder, Tahoua, and Tillaberi regions.At the same time, the populations received training and education on environmental sanitation and hygiene practices, which would help prevent diseases and promote healthy practices.School eye screening campaigns were launched in Niamey and Tillaberi, including early medical examinations for 117,462 students, in addition to specialized medical tests for 9,071 students.In addition, 700 medication packages were distributed to students, 111 surgeries were performed for patients, and 400 teachers were trained in how to detect vision problems among students. These interventions had positive outcomes for the students' health and academic performance.Regarding shelter, a residential village was constructed for 25 poor families (436 persons) in Filingue, Tillaberi, to protect their human dignity and enhance their stability. The project comprised 25 45-m2 homes and an 80-m2 mosque.Two livelihood projects supported 13,567 women, youths, and vulnerable families in Tillabéri and Niamey with alternative and sustainable economic opportunities that help reduce poverty and promote self-reliance.QRCS secured funding for 158 income-generating enterprises, including animal husbandry, agriculture, handicrafts, retail, and fishing. The beneficiaries also received vocational training from specialized technicians to enable them to start their own businesses and earn a living.All these projects respected the environmental dimension, with a special focus on women and vulnerable groups, to ensure equitable access and comprehensive interventions.These achievements demonstrate QRCS's commitment to providing humanitarian and development support in Niger and strengthening the resilience of local communities in the face of challenges.

The Qatar Red Crescent Society (QRCS) has launched an emergency relief intervention to help the families affected by the recent 6.0-magnitude earthquake in Kunar province, eastern Afghanistan, a statement said on Tuesday. The calamity left behind more than 5,840 casualties, destroyed thousands of homes, and displaced many locals, especially in remote mountainous villages and inaccessible areas. The project is aimed at providing direct support for approximately 7,600 affected families, or 53,200 persons, as well as indirect support for the surrounding local community to mitigate the impact of the disaster and enhance the resilience of the affected populations. With a budget of QR2mn, phase one involves food and nonfood aid for 33,200 beneficiaries and health care services for 20,000 beneficiaries. It will be implemented under the supervision of the QRCS’s office in Afghanistan, in collaboration with the Afghan Red Crescent Society (ARCS), and in co-ordination with local authorities and international clusters to ensure integration, avoid duplication, and maximise the outcomes. QRCS secretary-general Faisal Mohamed al-Emadi said that the first phase will be followed by an early recovery phase, with more sustainable development projects, including the distribution of food parcels, sponsorship and care for orphans, medications for patients with kidney failure, livelihood enhancement for poor families, and digging of water wells. To ensure transparency and accountability, the beneficiaries and local community representatives will be engaged in all steps of implementation, with the QRCS’s team in Afghanistan making regular field visits to monitor timeline and implementation plan. Afghanistan remains in one of the world’s most complex humanitarian crises, being among the most disaster-prone Asian countries due to its geographical location in an active seismic zone, along with frequent droughts, floods, and landslides. According to the Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan 2025 (HNRP) issued by the United Nations Office for the Co-ordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), between 23mn and 28mn people – more than two-thirds of the population – are in urgent need of humanitarian assistance. It is estimated that 48% of the population lives below the poverty line, while approximately 62% suffer from multidimensional poverty, including health, education, and housing. To help provide food, shelter, and medical care for the victims of the Afghanistan earthquake, the QRCS is calling on all benevolent donors to contribute via website (https://qrcs.qa/AEk), mobile app (https://qrcs.qa/apps), home donation collection (33998898), donor service (66666364), call centre (44027777), or donation collection agents at shopping malls.

An official delegation from Qatar Red Crescent Society (QRCS) has participated as observers in the International Meeting of the Chiefs of Red Cross and Red Crescent National Societies in the Member States of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), held in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, under the theme 'International Year of Peace and Trust – Humanity and Neutrality'.QRCS’s delegation comprised vice president engineer Ibrahim Hashim al-Sada, assistant secretary-general for Communication and Resource Development Mohamed Ahmed al-Beshri, and International Relations head Dr Aiham Ismail al-Sukhni.The two-day conference brought together leaders of the Red Crescent and Red Cross National Societies of Azerbaijan, Armenia, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Russia, along with representatives of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).The meetings discussed key humanitarian challenges facing the Central Asia and Mena regions, including the impact of climate change, natural disasters, and armed conflicts; migration; and compliance with international humanitarian law.Participants also addressed how to develop principled humanitarian action, promotion of humanitarian diplomacy, and the role of National Societies as humanitarian auxiliaries to their governments.In a statement, QRCS’s delegation said this participation was aimed at building regional and international cooperation and contributing to the joint efforts to deal with global humanitarian challenges, inspired by QRCS’s mission of serving humanity and preserving human dignity without partiality or discrimination.In the presence of Nasser Ali al-Kaabi, chargé d'Affaires at Qatar's embassy in Turkmenistan, engineer al-Sada signed a bilateral memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Maral Achilova, president of the National Red Crescent Society of Turkmenistan, to enhance cooperation, exchange of expertise, capacity-building, and adoption of best practices when conducting shared projects in the future.Both parties saw the MoU as a step to step up humanitarian partnership and integration within the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, in alignment with the IFRC’s Strategy 2030, thus helping improve humanitarian response and provide quality services for the most vulnerable people in need.On the sidelines of the conference, QRCS’s delegation held coordination meetings with many officials from the participating fellow National Societies, including Dr Pavel Savchuk, president of the Russian Red Cross, Zafar Rakhmanov, president of the Red Crescent Society of Uzbekistan, Elvira Amiralieva, secretary-general of the Red Crescent Society of Uzbekistan, Jeyhun Mirzayev, secretary-general of the Red Crescent Society of Azerbaijan, his deputy Shaban Shayev, and Nurali Odinaev and Dilorom Mirova, deputy secretaries-general of the Red Crescent Society of Tajikistan.These meetings discussed areas of common cooperation and emphasized the importance of developing partnerships and exchanging expertise to enhance the efficiency of humanitarian response and expand the scope of joint work in the future, a statement added.

Qatar Red Crescent Society (QRCS) recently opened a residential centre for Syrian patients with cancer referred for treatment in Turkiye, as part of a larger project implemented by the Independent Doctors Association (IDA). The project aims to ensure a safe and supportive environment for the patients and their families from Syria with no place to stay during their treatment in Turkiye. This, QRCS noted, would help alleviate their health and living burdens, improve their quality of life, and enhance their prospects of recovery. For 11 months, the centre will host around 1,000 referred patients from Syria, and facilitate their access to specialised healthcare. It will provide appropriate accommodation up to medically recommended health standards, specialised nutrition programmes, transportation to and from Turkish hospitals, psychosocial support, interpreting, and physiotherapy. In addition, the project covers some additional medical expenses not funded by the Turkish health system and provides one-time e-coupons to purchase food and non-food items from contracted stores. Other components of the project include the rehabilitation and equipment of some facilities at the Al-Amal Association Centre, to increase its capacity and improve the care environment. More than 5,000 persons from the patients’ families and community are expected to indirectly benefit from the project. QRCS is also raising funds to provide chemotherapy and immunotherapy drugs for 400 displaced and poor Syrian patients with cancer at the Oncology Centre in Syria. The cost of treatment is only QR10,000 per patient. To help save the lives of those patients, people can donate via the link https://qrcs.qa/dpc