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Saudi Arabia conducts its 4th RAAB DR survey
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The Saudi Arabian Ministry of Health, in collaboration with the National Prevention of Blindness Committee and PBU,
is undertaking its 4th RAAB DR survey in the Kingdom within the months of May and June 2014. This survey
is being undertaken in the northern region of the country. Previous RAAB DR surveys in the western, southern and
eastern regions of the country have been used to secure more government support and planning for the national diabetic
retinopathy screening program.
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New Managing Director of PBU and Executive Co-Chair IAPB-EMR
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A new Managing Director has been appointed for PBU. He is Dr Mohammed Alamuddin. He is also the new Executive Co-Chair
of IAPB-EMR. Dr Alamuddin replaces Dr Abdulaziz AlRajhi who resigned earlier this year. Dr Alamuddin holds a medical degree
from American University of Beirut and Masters of Public Health from John Hopkins University. He brings with him wide
knowledge and experience in international health and eye health administration. He indeed set up the IAPB-EMR and
IMPACT-EMR two decades ago. Before his appointment, he was the Director of International Operations at the Royal
College of Surgeons in Ireland.
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WHO-EMRO gets New Medical Officer for PBD
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The World Health Organization Eastern Mediterranean Regional office (WHO-EMRO) has appointed Dr Ismatullah Chaudhry as the
new Medical Officer in-charge of Prevention of Blindness and Deafness. Dr Chaudhry replaced Dr Abdulhannan Chaudhry who
retired early last year. The new Medical Officer is seconded by IAPB-EMR/IMPACT-EMR to this position. Dr Chaudhry holds
a medical degree from University of Punjab Pakistan, Post Graduate Diploma in Ophthalmic Medicine & Surgery, and Masters
in Business Administration. Before his appointment, he was the Executive Director of the, Pakistan Institute of
Rehabilitation Sciences (PIRS), ISRA University Islamabad Campus, Islamabad.
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EMR sets to map trachoma areas in the region
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The 2nd EMR alliance for trachoma control meeting held in Addis Ababa from 26-27 April 2014 reviewed strategies
to ensure that all trachoma endemic and trachoma suspect areas including areas with refugees or refugee camps are mapped and
control programs set up towards achieving the elimination of the disease by the year 2020. The meeting participants were
lso enlightened on approaches to National Trachoma Action Plan development and the ITI/Pfizer Zithromax © donation
approaches.
The meeting was attended by 35 participants consisting of 12 country representatives, representatives of WHO Geneva,
WHO-EMRO, International Trachoma Initiative (ITI), International Coalition for Trachoma Control (ICTC), Global Trachoma
Mapping Project (GTMP), Carter Center, Fred Hollows Foundation, Sight Savers, CBM, KCCO, CHEF International, Light for
the World, Orbis International, etc.
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2nd EMR Trachoma Control Alliance meeting in Addis Ababa
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The 2nd meeting of the EMR Trachoma Control Alliance meeting took place from 26-27 April 2014 in Addis Ababa,
Ethiopia. The meeting organized by IAPB-EMR in collaboration with PBU had the following objectives: a) to review progress
on the EMR Regional Trachoma Action Plan and costing developed during the inaugural meeting in Dubai in December 2013; b) to
review the draft EMR baseline mapping proposal for GTMP and work with national coordinators to begin preparations for mapping
activities in their country in 2014; c) to understand the Trachoma Action Plan approach and; d) to understand the
ITI/Pfizer Zithromax © donation approach, the role of national coordinators and the timetabling of application requests.
The meeting was attended by GET 2020 coordinators in EMR and national coordinators of some countries outside the
GET 2020, NGOs, ICTC, ITI and many other stakeholders involved in trachoma control. The meeting was supported by CBM,
Fred Hollows Foundation, PBU and Sight Savers.
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EMR recommendations to accelerate implementation of the Global Action Plan 2014-19
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The IAPB-EMR had come up with far reaching recommendations to accelerate the development and implementation of the Global
Eye Health Action Plan: Universal Eye Health 2014-19 by all countries in the region.
The recommendations were announced at the end of a 3-day EMR regional meeting held in collaboration with WHO-EMRO
and PBU. The meeting, which was attended by representatives of 17 member countries, WHO-EMRO, WHO Geneva, NGOs,
public health and eye health experts etc., was held from 18-20 March 2014 at the WHO-EMRO office Cairo. The closing
session of the meeting was attended by the WHO- EMRO Regional Director Dr Ala Alwan. Please
click here for the list of the recommendations.
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