| News |
| Sightsavers CEO visits PBU office in Saudi Arabia |
The Chief Executive officer of Sightsavers Dr Caroline Harper recently visited the Prevention
of Blindness Union (PBU) office in Riyadh Saudi Arabia. Dr Harper was accompanied by Mr Luke
Thomas - the Sightsavers head of Middle East partnership. Dr Harper met with the PBU team lead
by its Chairman HRH Abdulaziz Ahmad Abdulaziz Al Saud and the Managing Director Dr Abdulaziz
AlRajhi. The visit was to strengthen the bond of the new partnership between the two
organizations. The organizations reviewed the progress of their partnership and areas of future
collaboration. During the visit Dr Harper also formally invited the PBU to the 60th year
celebration of Sightsavers at the Buckingham Palace, UK taking place in June 2010.
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| Another PBU Board Member – Prof Daud Khan wins international award |
Prof Mohammed Daud Khan - a PBU board member - had been awarded the International Duke Elder
Medal Award. This award is given every four years by the Board of the International Council of
Ophthalmology to an ophthalmologist who by his/her distinction, leadership and teaching has
contributed most to the development of international relations and friendship between
ophthalmologists, and who has advanced the field by his/her contributions in writing and
organization in ophthalmology. Prof Khan is the Chairman of CHEF foundation an International
NGO based in Pakistan. CHEF Foundation is founding partners of PBU. PBU hereby felicitates with
Prof Khan on this most deserving award.
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| PBU Board Member - Dr Adel AlRushood awarded the GOH Naumann Award for
Leadership and Global Eye Care |
The International Council of Ophthalmology has recently awarded Dr Adel AlRushood with the GOH
Naumann Award for Leadership and Global Eye Care. The GOH Naumann Award is awarded annually to
an ophthalmologist who has made a significant contribution to global eye care in the community,
in an effort to promote educational programs and establish service models for other societies.
Dr Adel Rushood is the founder and Secretary General of AlBasar International Foundation, a
non-profitable, non-political and international NGO established in 1990. AlBasar International
runs 21 self sustainable eye hospitals in Asia and Africa.
AlBasar International Foundation is a founding partner of PBU and Dr AlRushood is a board member
of PBU representing the foundation. PBU seizes this opportunity to congratulate Dr Rushood on
this well deserved honor.
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| PBU Board Member - Dr. Ahmed TRrabelsi awarded AAO International Blindness
Prevention award |
Dr Ahmed Trabelsi, President of Nadi AlBassar , and a board member of PBU has been honored with
the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) International Blindness Prevention Award. The award
is presented at the Academy's Annual Meeting each fall. The International Blindness Prevention
Award, established in 1992, honors individuals who have made significant contributions to the
prevention of blindness or restoration of sight worldwide. PBU would like to take this
opportunity to congratulate Dr Trabelsi on this great achievement.
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| PBU enters into partnership with Sightsavers International |
The PBU had signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the UK based international NGO - Sightsavers
International (SSI). The MOU is for partnership and cooperation in supporting eye care programs
in Africa. It will involve advocacy, fund-raising, policy dialogue, exchange of expertise and
co-implementation of eye care activities. The MOU was signed during the recent IAPB Board of
Trustees meeting in Cairo on 17 March 2010. The Chairman of PBU, HRH Abdulaziz Ahmad Al Saud,
signed on behalf of the union, while CEO SSI Caroline Harper signed on behalf of SSI.
The first project in this partnership will be conducted in collaboration with East Africa
College of Ophthalmology (EACO) to upgrade training facilities and resources for residency
training in ophthalmology at Muhimbili University of Health Sciences, Tanzania. This project
fits into the strategic interest of PBU in strengthening the training of ophthalmology in Africa.
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| 4th PBU Board Meeting, Riyadh, 1 March 2010 |
The Prevention of Blindness Union held its fourth board meeting on 1 March 2010, at the Marriot
Hotel Riyadh, KSA. It was chaired by HRH Abdulaziz Ahmad Abdulaziz Al Saud and attended by all
founding partners. The board had a full agenda, it ratified decisions made in the previous
meeting including the Strategic and operational plans, proposed 5-year budget and activities
for the first year of operation. The meeting also discussed collaborative and fundraising
activities that the PBU intends to initiate and participate in. The board approved the newly
designed logo, website and a quarterly electronic newsletter.
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| Diabetic retinopathy screening programme in Jordan |
The Prevention of blindness Union (PBU) in collaboration with the Ministry of Health Jordan will
be implementing a diabetic retinopathy screening programme in Northern Jordan.
The Project is one of the ‘Seeing is Believing’ (SiB) project of the Standard Chartered Bank,
to which the bank is committing close to 1 million dollars over 5 years. The Ministry of Health
Jordan with its good networks of health facilities and human resources is the implementing
partner. The project plans to provide a comprehensive diabetic retinopathy care to all patients
with Diabetic mellitus in the region. This will include health education, promotion, screening,
treatment and rehabilitative services.
A PBU delegation had visited Jordan in January 2010 to assess resources for the project and seek
commitment of the Jordanian government in this project. The delegation met with major
stakeholders including the Jordanian Minister of Health.
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| 3rd PBU Board Meeting, Cairo, 14 December 2009 |
The Third Meeting of the PBU Board was held on the 14 December 2009 at the Intercontinental
Hotel, Cairo, Egypt. The meeting was chaired by Prof Mohammed Daud Khan, Chairman of CHEF
International, a founding partner of PBUnion. The meeting deliberated on the PBUnion strategic,
operational plans and the budgets for 5 years. The meeting also considered the activities for
the year 2010. Website and logo for the union were also reviewed during the meeting.
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| PBU Strategic Planning Committee Meeting held in Riyadh, 18 - 19 June 2009 |
To support, coordinate, collaborate and advocate activities in the field of comprehensive eye
care (promotion, preventive, curative and rehabilitation) with all stakeholders (such as
Governments, Non-Governmental Development Organizations (NGDO), regional and international
organizations, professional bodies and institutions).
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| PBU held its 2nd Board Meeting in Riyadh, 8 June 2009 |
The Second Board Meeting of PBU was held on 08 June 2009 at Atheeb Group Headquarters, Riyadh,
Saudi Arabia. It was chaired by the Chairman of PBU, HRH Abdulaziz Ahmad Al Saud. Most of the
chief executives of the founding partners were present at the meeting while some participated
via teleconference. The meeting deliberated on the recommendations of the VISION 2020 Africa
meeting that was held in March in Bahrain, the Union’s articles of association, logo and
registration. The board constituted strategic planning committee to develop a strategic plan
for the Union.
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| PBU/MEACO host VISION 2020 Africa Meeting in Bahrain, March 2009 |
PBU and MEACO hosted a 2-day VISION 2020 Africa Workshop during the MEACO bi-annual congress in
Bahrain in March 2009. Major stakeholders in eye care from Africa participated in the workshop.
These included WHO Geneva Office, IAPB Afro Regional Office, major NGDOs, academic institutions,
ophthalmologists, development and corporate organizations.
The Meeting titled "VISION 2020 in Africa – The Next 10 Years" deliberated and
made recommendations for the PBU towards acceleration of VISION 2020 in the African continent.
Participants worked in 5 groups to generate the recommendations. Please click
here to view the report of the meeting.
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| PBU Board held its maiden meeting, 8 March 2009 |
The PBU board held its first meeting on 8 March 2008 at the King Fahad Cultural Centre, Riyadh,
Saudi Arabia. The meeting was attended by all the founding partners namely IMPACT-EMR, AlNoor
Foundation, Nadi AlBasar, CHEF International, AlBasar Foundation, AGFUND, IDB and Middle East
Africa Council of Ophthalmology (MEACO).
The meeting was chaired by HRH Prince Abdulaziz Ahmad Abdulaziz Al Saud, President, IMPACT-EMR.
The meeting agreed on some fundamental aspects of the Union including the official name,
official language, registration, strategies of operation etc.
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