Cataracts are seen mostly in African countries in the world and cause many Africans lose their vision at early ages. Aid organizations including IHH help tens of thousands of Africans to regain their eyesight by offering them free cataract surgeries. IHH deputy President Durmuş Aydın and IHH Cataract Project Coordinator İhsan Özyürek represented the foundation at the meeting in Dubai which was jointly hosted by the Islamic Development Bank and Prevention of Blindness Union (PB Union) foundations.

Meeting from representatives of Noor Dubai, World Health Organization, Pbunion, Al Basar International Foundation, Sheikh Zayed Foundation, (MEACO)Middle East Africa Council of  Ophthalmology, Chef International and Vision 2020, representatives of IHH, discussed the details of the prospective projects to conduct against cataract disease in 2012.

IHH’s Aydın made a presentation about the foundation’s five-year-long experience in conducting cataract projects to the other organizations which aiming to carry out similar work in the region. Sharing the experience of IHH with the other foundations, Aydın said there are many more steps which should be taken against cataract disease that is considered as a major problem by the African people.

At the end of the meeting, some joint decisions were made regarding the projects of 2012. It is agreed to establish a local hospital in Nigerian capital of Niamey, 5,000 cataract surgeries will be carried out in Somalia, 10,000 surgeries will be carried out in Sudan’s White Nile and Kesele regions and Palestinen students will be offered eye examinations. It was also agreed that the Islamic Development Bank and IHH will convene for a meeting in İstanbul in January to discuss the funding of the projects.