Noor Dubai Foundation, which is one of the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives, was able to benefit almost 33 million individuals all over the world through its treatment, preventive and awareness programmes that are specialised in the prevention of blindness.
This was revealed during the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives Foundation yearly meeting. An inspiring story of a patient was also shared, documenting Noor Dubai’s journey since its establishment in 2008.
Ruler, Vice President, and Prime Minister of Dubai, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum tweeted on his official Twitter handle. At the same time, he expressed his pride in that 145,000 volunteers joined the initiatives in 2021, while he also said, “proud of Noor Dubai, which reached 33 million beneficiaries.”
فخور ب١٤٥ ألف متطوع تعاونوا معنا في ٢٠٢١.. فخور بنور دبي التي وصلت ل ٣٣ مليون مستفيد ..فخور بتحدي القراءة الذي بلغ ٢٢ مليون طالب ..فخور بدبي العطاء..وسقيا الإمارات.. ومؤسستنا الخيرية الإغاثية.. وبجوائزنا ومؤتمراتنا المجتمعية والمعرفية والإنسانية.. وقادمنا أكثر عطاءً باذن الله pic.twitter.com/2FAyDPbIc9
— HH Sheikh Mohammed (@HHShkMohd) April 28, 2022
It was launched by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum in 2008 and has contributed to treating the needy in 22 countries around the world, helping humanitarian efforts and the prosperity of societies.
After the initiative’s success in its first year, His Highness launched Noor Dubai as a Foundation in 2010.
Despite the progress attained by Noor Dubai and other institutions in this area, there is still a need to provide eye care services to the needy.
As per the statistics published by World Health Organisation, 295 million individuals worldwide have a visual impairment, and 80% of them can be prevented or treated from developing visual impairment, and 90% of them reside in developing countries.
Despite the challenges being faced by the world, specifically the humanitarian sector, because of the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic worldwide, Noor Dubai was able to overpower all challenges within just one year and exceeded its targeted beneficiaries to reach 33 million beneficiaries in a short period of time.
Last year, Noor Dubai launched a 5-year programme collaborating with the Fred Hollows Foundation to lessen avoidable blindness by strengthening the eye healthcare system to provide a more sustainable and comprehensive approach and deliver gender-equitable disability-inclusive eye care services located in the Barishal division of Bangladesh.
The programme concentrates on providing adequate and reasonable prevention, treatment and management of refractive blunder and diabetic retinopathy, the ultimate causes of blindness in Barishal.
This programme is expected to help 25,000 children and 50,000 adults, create awareness and enlighten nearly 4 million people in Barisal.
