Feb 1, 2017, Dubai, UAE: For the prevention of eye diseases and blindness among the residents of Ras Al Khaimah, RAK Hospital has signed an important Memorandum of Understanding with the Ministry of Health and Prevention (MOHAP) in the UAE. This agreement is a part of Hospital’s “Nazar Ayeni” (“My Eyesight”) initiative that focuses on the prevention of Preventable Blindness and Visual Impairment. The program is in line with WHO Global Initiative to Eliminate Avoidable Blindness, “VISION 2020: The Right to Sight”, which aims to eliminate causes of blindness and vision disorders as a public health problem by the year 2020.
The MOU specifically caters to the needs of the limited income group of patients by facilitating them with the top of the line care by the RAK Hospital. The people will benefit by continuous awareness and screening campaigns and early detection of eye diseases which may lead to blindness or other serious eye problems.
RAK Hospital’s specially designed “NAZAR AYENI” – a mobile eye screening vehicle fully equipped for vision screening, computer and internet connecting the vehicle to the RAK Hospital information system will be used for the program. This will be managed by an Ophthalmologist, Optometrist and a Nurse who will take the Vision Screening Vehicle to all of the 20 MOHAP – Primary Health Centers in Ras Al Khaimah over a period of time. The MOU is valid for one year from now and will be automatically renewed thereafter for a similar period after mutual agreement.
“We have already screened over 16,000 RAK residents through our community initiative and this partnership with MOHAP, will further strengthen our CSR mission of screening the entire population of Ras Al Khaimah by year 2020”, said Dr. Raza Siddiqui, Executive Director of RAK Hospital.
The Nazar Ayeni, Community Health Program was launched by RAK Eye Care Center in line with the vision of His Highness Sheikh Saud Bin Saqr Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Ras Al Khaimah. The objective of the CSR project is to do vision screening of all residents of Ras Al Khaimah over a period of time and identify cases where residents need further eye treatment in order to prevent preventable blindness. This is of particular importance for patients suffering from diabetes – since loss of eyesight is one of the more common fallouts of the disease – who need regular screening to prevent diabetic retinopathy.
For the convenience of residents and medical tourists alike, RAK Hospital has established a state-of-the-art highly specialized Eye Care Center in Ras Al Khaimah. RAK Eye Care Center is fully dedicated to the diagnosis and treatment of all medical conditions of the eye while offering the most advanced, exceptionally versatile and superior cutting edge eye-care technology and surgical platform, by far the best in the entire Middle East. The facility also offers exceptionally versatile Femtosecond Cataract Laser surgery and Femto Lasik surgery for true precision, high quality and maximum speed.
With a focused commitment to provide compassionate, safe and high quality ophthalmic services, the center aims to transform eye care service standards. The facility is the first and the only dedicated Eye Specialty Center in the entire Northern Emirates working on prevention of blindness while offering comprehensive patient care, sight enhancement and rehabilitation services along with high-impact eye health programs.
