Qatar Fund for Development Announces Additional Donation to Tackle Avoidable Blindness Across Africa and Asia
Qatar Fund for Development Announces Additional Donation to Tackle Avoidable Blindness Across Africa and Asia
Qatar Fund for Development (QFFD), has today announced at the Doha Forum, that the successful eye health initiative, Qatar Creating Vision (QCV), will expand across Africa and Asia in 2020. Implemented by international eye care charity Orbis, QCV will improve access to eye care services for millions of adults and children across the two continents.
Mr. Khalifa bin Jassem Al-Kuwari, Director General, Said : “Since we began our journey with Qatar Creating Vision, we have reached more than 5.9 million children exceeding our goals. Through the second round of funding to solidify our partnership with Orbis, Qatar Creating Vision will continue to provide access to eye-care services and training for doctors, teachers and community workers because there is still a long way to go. “
“This expansion comes from the commitment of QFFD to provide access to health services for children and adult around the world, and QCV provides a platform for NGO’s, corporate sector and the community to get involved and help the initiative provide children with a better future. We hope that by treating those children we don’t only help them see better, but that we can help them learn better in schools and have a better life quality. “
Since programmes began in 2016 as part of the first phase of Qatar Creating Vision, Orbis has worked with partners to provide millions of eye tests to children in India and Bangladesh, where approximately 473,000 children are blind.
The journey continued in 2018, thanks to QFFD when Qatar Creating Vision was extended to help children and adults struggling with vision loss within the Rohingya and local host community in South East Bangladesh. Demand for services has been high and in just under two years, Orbis has delivered over 150,000 eye tests, treatments and surgeries.
Dr Robert Walters, Orbis UK Trustee and Special Envoy to the Middle East, said: “We are proud of our strong partnership with the Qatar Fund for Development. Thanks to their support, we’ve been able to reach so many children whose futures were at risk as they couldn’t see their books or the board at school. We’ve also helped a displaced community to access the eye care they deserve. Qatar Creating Vision has made great strides – but there is still much to do.”
Rebecca Cronin, Orbis UK CEO continued: “The generosity of the Qatar Fund for Development and the Qatari people has helped us to deliver sight saving treatments to those who need it most. We know that a significant proportion of blindness is avoidable, yet many services may be too far away to reach or simply too expensive. Through initiatives such as Qatar Creating Vision, we can bring eye care services closer to home.”
- Geography Qatar
- Timeline 2019 - 2019
- Initiatives Qatar Creating Vision
- SDGS Good Health
- Sector Budget Support
- Partner Orbis