LONDON: The Qatar Development Fund (QDF) has donated $8m for the eye treatment of millions of children in developing countries.
The donation was made to eye care organisations who are part of the International Agency for Prevention of Blindness (IAPB) as part of the joint ‘Qatar Creating Vision’ initiative which will fund surgical operations, support health centres and supply high-quality medical services in the developing world.
Contributing to the initiative will be an alliance of doctors from around the world, including Qatari doctors specialising in ophthalmology and world leading vision experts who volunteer for Orbis, an international blindness prevention charity, who are part of the IAPB. A number of Qatari youth volunteers will also look to support the project. The initiative was cemented with the signing of an agreement at the Qatari Embassy in London on Thursday between Khalifa bin Jassim Al Kuwari, the General Director of Qatar Development Fund and Robert Walters, Orbis’ special envoy to the Middle East.
“Qatar has a long standing commitment to driving forward a wide range of initiatives that will strengthen health care provision both in Qatar and throughout the world. Many people take vision for granted and don’t realise how significant eye problems can be, particularly for children in the developing world. This vital initiative provides us with an opportunity to help children in countries like Nepal, India and Bangladesh whose citizens have helped realise our own vision of a modern Qatar,” said Al Kuwari.
“On this day, we come together to celebrate the signing of a multimillion dollar charitable grant from the Qatar Development Fund which will transform the lives of millions of people in the developing world, creating sight where previously only darkness prevailed.
Qatar Creating Vision is a remarkable philanthropic agreement that will enable the world’s most disadvantaged people to fulfil their lives,” said Walters.
Amongst those attending the signing ceremony were H E Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, Qatar’s Assistant Foreign Minister for International Cooperation, and Yousef bin Ali Al Khater, Ambassador of Qatar in the United Kingdom. Also present were the Countess of Wessex, in her role as Patron of IAPB, and a number of senior officials from the Qatar Development Fund and Orbis.
The Countess of Wessex, said: “I am delighted that the State of Qatar has cemented its commitment to this cause with the announcement of the “Qatar Creating Vision” initiative. This support will enable us and our partners to have significant impact on our mission to eradicate avoidable blindness in the developing world. I am deeply indebted to the State of Qatar for its willingness to join with us in this sight and live saving work.”
The QDF is responsible for the implementation of international development programs of Qatar through the provision of loans, grants and technical assistance to developing countries and key charities.
Orbis programmes focus on the prevention of blindness and the treatment of blinding eye diseases in developing countries. Since 1982, Orbis capacity-building programmes have enhanced the skills of 325,000 eye care personnel and provided medical and optical treatment to more than 23.3million people in 92 countries.
The Peninsula
