The mission is structured into eight distinct phases to help those in need.

Qatar Red Crescent Society (QRCS) is set to perform around 2,000 surgeries in Mauritania as a part of a medical convoy designed to combat eye diseases.

The initiative is a collaboration with the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) and the National Program for Blindness Control, a segment of Mauritania’s Ministry of Health (MoH).

The Hamad bin Khalifa Hospital in Boutilimit, operating under the aegis of QRCS and backed financially by Education Above All (EAA), has set forth a comprehensive plan spanning six months.

This period will see a series of medical and surgical teams making their way to various Mauritanian regions where the teams aim to diagnose patients battling eye diseases, with a specific focus on performing cataract surgeries.

The $146,000 mission is structured into eight distinct phases that will reach out to various vulnerable parts of Mauritania.

The overarching goal is to successfully complete 2,000 surgeries and 6,000 medical examinations, primarily catering to remote and impoverished communities that have limited access to healthcare.

The project aims to serve the regions of Brakna, Hodh Al-Gharbi, Guidimaka, Trarza, Assaba, Tagant, and Gorgol.

Dr. Mohamed Ould Andari, an ophthalmologist and ophthalmic surgeon said the intent behind this mission is to assist those less fortunate.

A team comprising five ophthalmologists and nine assistants, armed with essential medical equipment, consumables, and medicines, facilitated a surgical drive as part of the week-long inauguration phase.

In total, 259 cataract surgeries and 869 medical examinations were performed, offering a new lease of life to the elderly and financially disadvantaged, and preventing potential blindness.

As the QRCS initiative gains momentum, plans for Phase 2 are underway.

Set to be executed in the department of Bogué, Brakna, the upcoming phase will endeavour to conduct 250 surgeries and 900 medical examinations within a week.