Professional development programme launched by QFFD, Orbis, for women in conflict areas

Orbis will be hosting a week-long professional development programme for women in eye care from vulnerable communities, under the leadership of the Qatar Fund for Development (QFFD) and Qatar Charity. A first-of-its-kind medical training programme, will fall under a new QFFD initiative called 'Women in Conflict Zones' and "Qatar Creating Vision initiative", launched by a group of national and international partners in Doha. Ophthalmologists and nurses from Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya, Palestine, Somalia, Syria, Sudan and Yemen, have been invited to take part in the simulation training, endorsed by the Qatari Ministry of Public Health. This will be delivered by Orbis's clinical volunteers and staff onboard their Flying Eye Hospital, a fully accredited ophthalmic teaching facility on board an MD-10 aircraft.

The participants will hone their skills using cutting-edge surgical and/or nursing simulation devices, including virtual reality, artificial eyes, and life-like manikins. This ensures that each step they would normally take when treating a patient can be safely practiced as many times as needed, growing confidence. Additional assistance to the programme included Qatar Airways and Hamad International Airport, who are providing on-the-ground support. 

Moreover, OMEGA is the title sponsor of the Orbis Flying Eye Hospital visits to the Middle East this year. This will be Orbis's first international training programme with the Flying Eye Hospital since the start of the pandemic.

The Director-General of QFFD Khalifa bin Jassim Al Kuwari said, "Qatar Fund for Development is enormously proud of the work that Qatar Creating Vision has produced since its inception in 2016 with Orbis implementation. Women in Conflict Zones will be hosting a week-long professional development training programme, for women in ophthalmology and nursing. This initiative aims to empower girls and women, allowing them to be agents of change within their communities, by building their capacities, through providing with high-quality training sessions and workshops".

Orbis has been transforming lives through the prevention and treatment of avoidable blindness for four decades. It is also the 10th anniversary of the Flying Eye Hospital's first visit Doha to raise awareness of the vast scale of avoidable blindness. With a close network of partners, Orbis mentors, train and inspires local eye care teams from community workers to doctors and nurses so that they can save and restore vision in their communities.