The ORBIS Flying Eye Hospital, the world’s only airborne ophthalmic surgical and training facility, kicked off the educational component of the United Arab Emirates’ new eye care charity drive, Noor Dubai, with lectures and a Cyber-Sight telemedicine demonstration on September 11.

The inaugural session, held at Executive Services at Al Majlis operated by the Dubai Airports Company, brought together UAE doctors and partner doctors from Noor Dubai’s international affiliates in a bid to expand their medical horizons.

Noor Dubai is a charitable initiative aiming to deliver eye health services to more than 1 million people worldwide. Its educational component seeks to ensure that health professionals in the UAE and across the world are equipped with the latest knowledge of global best practices in combating preventable blindness and visual impairment. Noor Dubai believes that educating health professionals is a sustainable method to ensuring that patients in developing countries gain access to international medical experts in their home countries.

ORBIS country director addresses participants

Dr. Wondu Alemayehu, country director of ORBIS International’s Ethiopia office and a founder of Ethiopia’s first eye bank, highlighted ORBIS’s experience in combating preventable blindness in the east African nation. The initiative saw more than 400,000 people receive medical treatment and/or surgery in Ethiopia in 2006.

Dr. Alemayehu said, “We are confident our synergy with Noor Dubai will bring hope of healthy vision to many more people around the world. Through ORBIS International’s partnership with Noor Dubai, I firmly believe we will help control blinding trachoma. In doing so, we will move one step closer to realizing our shared dream of a world free from preventable forms of blindness by the year 2020.”

Cyber-Sight explored

The evening’s agenda also included a demonstration of the ORBIS International Cyber-Sight telemedicine program, which enables ophthalmologists in developing countries to connect with expert mentors.

Introducing the program, Dr. Hunter Cherwek, ORBIS International medical director, said, “Cyber-Sight is the best way to connect eye doctors around the world with other medical professionals.

"Together with Noor Dubai, we have a unique opportunity with Cyber-Sight to provide an Arabic speaking mentor team to assist in the diagnosis and treatment of patients anywhere in the world.”

Dr. Manal Taryam, Head of the Noor Dubai Medical Team, said, “Tonight’s program is a great example of how knowledge transfer amongst healthcare professionals not only helps raise awareness of the issues people face in various specialty areas, it also highlights the methodologies used to overcome and avoid them effectively.”

Added Dr. Afaq Al Mashhari, head of the Noor Dubai Administrative Committee, “The Cyber-Sight program will ensure that doctors in the UAE are well connected with medical professionals around the world. It will also empower us to acquire global skills sets, while sharing our unique learning experiences of delivering health care in this part of the world.”

Dubai Health Authority is responsible for implementing the Noor Dubai agenda in collaboration with ORBIS International and Lions Club International. Under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, vice president and prime minister of the UAE and ruler of Dubai, Noor Dubai features therapeutic, preventive and educational programs. The three components will jointly seek to treat and prevent blindness and visual impairment in the UAE and developing countries on a regional and international scale.