UAE-based charity offers free eye surgery in Philippines

As many as 1,969 people in the Philippines have received free eye care treatment under a unique programme organised by a UAE-based charity.

Doctors carried out nearly 600 cataract surgeries from a specialised caravan set up in Borongan, Eastern Samar, and distributed 454 pairs of spectacles, along with the provision of necessary medicines to those in need.

The collaborative initiative by Noor Dubai Foundation (NDF), along with EYE hEAR Foundation and Department of Health, includes screening, diagnosis and other eye care services.

Mohamed Obaid Alqataam Alzaabi, Ambassador of the UAE to the Philippines, extended his "sincere gratitude for the significant outcomes witnessed in the Philippines."

The collaborative programme reflected the UAE's commitment to making a positive impact on the health and well-being of communities in the Philippines, and to strengthening ties with the country.

The NDF is focused on the prevention of blindness and visual impairment globally and was launched in 2008 by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai.