The ORBIS Flying Eye Hospital, which is housed in a DC-10 aircraft, has flown into Doha for the first time.

ORBIS is a British non-profit organisation with a mission to eliminate blindness in developing countries.

It flies around the world teaching medical professionals how to treat common eye problems in their communities.

ORBIS will stay in Doha for four days, showing dignitaries and interested groups around the specially designed aircraft, which includes an operating theatre, recovery area and classroom.

Visitors to the aircraft will include ambassadors, business leaders, staff from Qatar Airways, charities like Reach Out to Asia, and students, parents and staff from ACS International School, which supports ORBIS.

The organisation hopes to forge “long-lasting partnerships” in Qatar – timely given that it’s currently raising money for the fit-out of its new aircraft, an MD-10.  

Dr. Robert Walters, ORBIS Chairman, explains what ORBIS does: 

“Our Flying Eye Hospital is a unique tool that provides teaching and training to eye care professionals so they can take better care of their own communities in their own way. This skills transfer and knowledge is taught by our volunteer surgeons, nurses and biomedical engineers through specific teaching programmes, both on the aircraft and through hospital based long term partnership programmes”.

Thoughts?

 Credit: Photo courtesy of ORBIS