Press Releases

Over the next three years, an estimated 60,000 screenings and 6,000 cataract surgeries will be performed, offering thousands the chance to regain their sight—and with it, renewed opportunities for work and a better quality of life Advancing Sustainable Outcomes, the multi-year project will Strengthen Ophthalmic Capacity in Sierra Leone through Ministry of Health Collaboration Over 1,500 cataract surgeries have been carried out in the initiative’s first year—delivering vital eye care to some of Sierra Leone’s most underserved communities, helping restore vision and dignity where it’s needed most DUBAI , UAE – EQS Newswire – 9 October 2025 – In a concerted push to reduce avoidable blindness, Choithram International Foundation (www.Choithrams.com) and Noor Dubai Foundation (a member of Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives), working in coordination with Sierra Leone’s Ministry of Health (MOH), has embarked on a sweeping three-year cataract outreach programme. Teaming up with Choithram Memorial Hospital (CMH) in Freetown and boosted by proven expertise of India’s Choithram Netralaya (Eye Hospital), the programme sets its sights on reducing the prevalence of avoidable blindness in the West African nation. A 2021 Rapid Assessment of Avoidable Blindness (RAAB) study revealed that 5.4% of Sierra Leoneans aged 50 and above suffer from blindness, affecting more than 43,000 individuals. The leading cause—untreated cataracts—accounts for nearly 60% of cases, yet less than a third of those affected receive effective surgical intervention. Further, deep gender-based disparities exist for both coverage and surgical outcomes. Over the next three years, an estimated 60,000 screenings and 6,000 cataract surgeries will be performed, offering thousands the chance to regain their sight—and with it, renewed opportunities for work and a better quality of life. Beyond immediate relief, the programme takes a long-term view, with Sierra Leone’s Ministry of Health sending two ophthalmologists and four nurses each month to re-train under

Over the next three years, an estimated 60,000 screenings and 6,000 cataract surgeries will be performed, offering thousands the chance to regain their sight—and with it, renewed opportunities for work and a better quality of life Advancing Sustainable Outcomes, the multi-year project will Strengthen Ophthalmic Capacity in Sierra Leone through Ministry of Health Collaboration Over 1,500 cataract surgeries have been carried out in the initiative’s first year—delivering vital eye care to some of Sierra Leone’s most underserved communities, helping restore vision and dignity where it’s needed most DUBAI , UAE – EQS Newswire – 9 October 2025 – In a concerted push to reduce avoidable blindness, Choithram International Foundation (www.Choithrams.com) and Noor Dubai Foundation (a member of Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives), working in coordination with Sierra Leone’s Ministry of Health (MOH), has embarked on a sweeping three-year cataract outreach programme. Teaming up with Choithram Memorial Hospital (CMH) in Freetown and boosted by proven expertise of India’s Choithram Netralaya (Eye Hospital), the programme sets its sights on reducing the prevalence of avoidable blindness in the West African nation. A 2021 Rapid Assessment of Avoidable Blindness (RAAB) study revealed that 5.4% of Sierra Leoneans aged 50 and above suffer from blindness, affecting more than 43,000 individuals. The leading cause—untreated cataracts—accounts for nearly 60% of cases, yet less than a third of those affected receive effective surgical intervention. Further, deep gender-based disparities exist for both coverage and surgical outcomes. Over the next three years, an estimated 60,000 screenings and 6,000 cataract surgeries will be performed, offering thousands the chance to regain their sight—and with it, renewed opportunities for work and a better quality of life. Beyond immediate relief, the programme takes a long-term view, with Sierra Leone’s Ministry of Health sending two ophthalmologists and four nurses each month to re-train under

تعزيز النتائج المستدامة؛ سيعزّز المشروع عبر سنواته المتعدّدة قدرات مجال طب العيون في دولة سيراليون من خلال التعاون مع وزارة الصحة لقد تم إجراء أكثر من 1500 عملية جراحية لإزالة المياه البيضاء في العام الأول من المبادرة، ممّا أدى إلى تقديم الرعاية الحيوية للعيون في بعض المجتمعات الأكثر حرمانًا في دولة سيراليون، كما ساعد ذلك على استعادة البصر والكرامة حيث تشتد الحاجة إليهما. في إطار الجهود المتضافرة للحد من العمى الذي يمكن تجنّبه، شرعت مؤسّستا شويترامس الدولية ونور دبي (عضو مبادرات محمد بن راشد آل مكتوم العالمية)، بالتنسيق مع وزارة الصحة في دولة سيراليون، في برنامج شامل للتوعية بمرض المياه البيضاء (السّاد) لمدة ثلاث سنوات. وبالتعاون مع مستشفى شويترامس التذكاري في فريتاون، وبدعمٍ من الخبرة العريقة لمستشفى شويترامس نيترالايا (مستشفى طب العيون) الهندي، يهدف البرنامج إلى الحد من انتشار مرض العمى الذي يمكن تجنبه في هذه الدولة الواقعة في غرب أفريقيا. لقد كشفت دراسة أُجريت عام 2021 لتقييم سريع للعمى الذي يُمكن تجنّبه (RAAB) أن نحو 5.4% من سكان دولة سيراليون الذين تبلغ أعمارهم 50 عامًا فأكثر يعانون من العمى، الأمر الذي يؤثّر على أكثر من 43 ألف شخص. ويُشكّل مرض المياه البيضاء غير المُعالج السبب الرئيسي وراء ما يقرب من 60% من تلك الحالات، ومع ذلك فإن أقل من ثلث المصابين يتلقون تدخلًا جراحيًا فعّالًا. علاوةً على ذلك، توجد تفاوتات كبيرة بين الجنسين في كلٍ من مدى التغطية ونتائج الجراحة. على مدى السنوات الثلاث المقبلة، من المتوقع إجراء ما يقرب من 60000 فحص و6000 عملية جراحية لإزالة المياه البيضاء، ممّا يتيح للآلاف فرصة استعادة بصرهم، وبالتالي فرص عمل متجدّدة وتحسين جودة حياتهم. وإلى جانب الإغاثة الفورية، يتبنى البرنامج رؤية بعيدة المدى، حيث تُرسل وزارة الصحة في دولة سيراليون طبيبي عيون وأربع ممرضات شهريًا لإعادة التدريب تحت إشراف أخصائيي مستشفى شويترامس لطب العيون. ولعلّ ذلك يؤكّد أن هذا الجهد غير منصب على ضرورة معالجة العمى الذي يمكن تجنّبه فقط، بل

Jetex appointed as exclusive handler of Dubai Airshow 2025 Dubai, Oct. 09, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Jetex, a global leader in private aviation, has been appointed as an exclusive ground handler and provider of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) at Dubai Airshow 2025. Sustainability will take centre stage at the event, reinforcing the event’s role not just as a global convener and showcase of innovation, but as a powerful driver of progress across the aerospace and defence industries. As part of this, the airshow will introduce practical initiatives with tangible impact – from SAF integration and electric ground equipment to solar-powered infrastructure and circular economy practices – placing real-world sustainability solutions at the heart of the event. “Jetex was the first to offer SAF to private aviation customers in the United Arab Emirates in 2023. Our environment strategy focuses on reducing carbon emissions, recycling and adapting the latest green technologies across the global network, and we are pleased to be able to supply it at the Dubai Airshow”, said Adel Mardini, Founder & CEO of Jetex. Recognising SAF as a critical component in the aviation industry’s decarbonisation journey, Dubai Airshow 2025 will introduce a new landmark partnership with Jetex to make SAF available for aircraft on display. In collaboration with Jetex, all aircraft on static display will also be serviced using electric and propane-powered ground support equipment, further reducing emissions. “Dubai Airshow serves as a platform to inspire a new chapter in sustainable aerospace, uniting the global industry to deliver real-world solutions for a net-zero future. Our collaboration with Jetex, providing Sustainable Aviation Fuel for all static aircraft, sets a new benchmark for major aerospace events by significantly reducing emissions across the show. This partnership demonstrates the impact that can be achieved when industry leaders join forces to drive meaningful action