Page 235 - UAE Foreign Aid Report 2022

Section 05
235
UAE Donors

training local eye health professionals, and integrating In 2021, amidst the challenges of the global COVID-19
healthcare channels for effective patient referrals. pandemic, which momentarily halted health
Noteworthy milestones include 11,000 free cataract interventions worldwide, Noor Dubai reaffirmed its
surgeries, which is expected to skyrocket the national commitment. Charting a four-year plan, the Foundation
surgery rate from a meager 10% to an impressive aims to administer an astounding 43 million doses
50%. Additionally, 36,000 screenings are slated, of the antibiotic Zithromax, generously donated by
coupled with extensive training sessions for over two Pfizer. This endeavor is set to benefit around 14.3
million health and community professionals in Katsina. million individuals, propelling Amhara’s mission to
Financially speaking, the program, with AED 7.3 million embrace the WHO’s esteemed SAFE strategy, which
(USD 2.0) million budget, is expected to generate encompasses Surgery, Antibiotics, Facial cleanliness,
approximately AED 29.4 million (USD 8.0 million) in and Environmental improvement. The Foundation,
increased productivity, owing to the comprehensive hand in hand with its partners, is poised to undertake
solutions it offers - from cataract surgeries and free prevalence surveys, providing a lens into the program’s
screenings to invaluable support for the permanently impact. Additionally, by 2025, they anticipate training
blind and widespread health education. 30 over 74,000 local health professionals, fortifying the
region’s medical infrastructure.
Trachoma stands as the foremost infectious agent
causing blindness. Recognizing the severity of this The collaboration between Noor Dubai Foundation,
neglected tropical disease (NTD), the Noor Dubai the Ethiopia Ministry of Health, the Amhara Regional
Foundation has cemented its dedication to combatting Health Bureau, The Carter Centre, and numerous other
it, particularly in Ethiopia, where it lends robust support partners is a testament to the power of collective
to the Trachoma Eradication Programme. effort. Their joint feats are noteworthy: trachoma has
been eradicated as a public health concern in 29% of
The Amhara region of Ethiopia bears the unfortunate the Amhara region. This partnership has facilitated the
distinction of being the world’s most trachoma-endemic delivery of 87 million doses of Zithromax, performed
region. Since 2013, the Noor Dubai Foundation’s eyelid surgeries on about 356,620 individuals to stave
unwavering efforts have assisted in mitigating trachoma off permanent blindness, and capacitated 49,816
as a public health menace in nearly a third (29%) of this health workers, 37,032 educators, and 7,209 surgeons
region. The severity of trachoma’s impact cannot be and supervisors with vital trachoma training. Through
overstated; it affects an estimated 1.9 million people, their relentless endeavors, they are gradually altering
rendering 1.2 million of them irreversibly blind. With the landscape of trachoma in the Amhara region,
136.9 million people globally residing in trachoma- offering hope to millions. 31
endemic districts, the disease is a formidable obstacle
to economic and social development, perpetuating
intergenerational cycles of poverty.