'New Hope': Sheikh Mohammed Launches Project To Eradicate River Blindness In 7 Million People

A new humanitarian project to eradicate river blindness has been announced by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai.

The project, which is a part of Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives (MBRGI), seeks to benefit 7 million people over the next three years.

According to the World Health Organisation, river blindness is the common name of onchocerciasis, which is caused by the parasitic worm Onchocerca volvulus. The parasite is spread to humans through "repeated bites of infected blackflies that breed in rapidly flowing rivers," the WHO website says. The disease is mostly found in Sub-Saharan Africa and Yemen. Other than loss of eyesight, symptoms include severe itching and disfiguring skin conditions.

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Sheikh Mohammed called empowering communities with the power of sight "one of the most noble humanitarian tasks."

Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum

This project will be implemented by Noor Dubai, an entity established in 2008 that now works under MBRGI to create a world free from avoidable causes of blindness. According to the MBRGI website, Noor Dubai "implements therapeutic and preventative programmes to combat blindness and visual impairment in the UAE and around the world, focusing on remote areas that lack healthcare resources and infrastructure in Africa and Asia."

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