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QRCS deploys eye treatment medical convoy to Sudan [EN/AR]

Pays
Soudan
Sources
Qatar Red Crescent
Date de publication

November 17th, 2019 ― Doha: Qatar Red Crescent Society (QRCS) has deployed an eye-treatment and anti-blindness medical convoy to Atbara, River Nile State, Sudan. The $50,000 mission is done in partnership with the Ministry of Public Health (MOPH) Primary Health Care Corporation (PHCC).

The overall purpose of the mission is to provide medical assistance for cataract patients in River Nile State, by examining the health care seekers, giving consultations and treatment as needed, identify the cases that require surgical intervention, performing the cataract operations, and providing pre-procedure and post-procedure care.

Other activities include supporting the Atbara Eye Hospital with medical equipment and supplies to provide effective health and surgical services for the local community. The local medical staff will also be trained to ensure higher proficiency.

Over 10 days, a medical team from QRCS will receive the patients on a daily basis, assisted with the hospital’s workforce. The medical convoy is expected to receive up to 4,000 patients, from whom 500 critical cases will be selected for cataract surgeries. In addition, there will be 2,500 indirect beneficiaries from the families of the patients.

Earlier this month, memoranda of understanding (MoUs) were signed with the Sudanese Red Crescent Society (SRCS) and the Atbara Eye Hospital to coordinate the roles, supervise the workflow through the phases of the project, secure all travel facilitations and permissions, select the beneficiaries in coordination with Sudan’s Blindness Program Department of the Ministry of Health (MOH), and purchase all the needed medical equipment and consumables.

By the end of this month, another medical convoy is set to be deployed to Nyala, South Darfur State, Sudan, to perform 100 operations in general surgery, urology, orthopedics, and pediatrics. The $80,000 mission will comprise specialists and consultants from Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC), and they will be assisted by the local staff at Nyala Public Hospital.

According to the World Health Organization’s (WHO) electronic medical record (EMR) for the MENA region, including Sudan, the blindness prevalence rate among above-50 populations is 7%. Blindness-related data in Sudan is below average. The National Blindness Prevention Program estimates that 1.5% of the whole population suffer blindness.

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About Qatar Red Crescent (QRCS)

Established in 1978, Qatar Red Crescent Society (QRCS) is a humanitarian volunteering organization that aims to assist and empower vulnerable individuals and communities without partiality or discrimination.

QRCS is a member of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, which consists of the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), and 191 National Societies. QRCS is also a member of several GCC, Arab, and Islamic organizations, such as the Islamic Committee of International Crescent and the Arab Red Crescent and Red Cross Organization (ARCO). In this legally recognized capacity, QRCS has access to disaster and conflict zones, thus serving as an auxiliary to the State of Qatar in its humanitarian efforts — a role that distinguishes it from other local charities and NGOs.

QRCS operates both locally and internationally and has ongoing international relief and development projects in a number of countries throughout the Middle East, Asia, Africa, and Europe. QRCS's humanitarian actions include providing support in disaster preparedness, disaster response, risk reduction, and disaster recovery. To mitigate the impact of disasters and improve the livelihoods of affected populations, QRCS provides medical services, healthcare, and social development to local communities. It is also active at the humanitarian advocacy front. With the help of a vast network of trained, committed staff and volunteers, QRCS aspires to improve the lives of vulnerable people by mobilizing the power of humanity.

QRCS works under the umbrella of the seven international humanitarian principles: Humanity, impartiality, neutrality, independence, voluntary service, unity, and universality.