KABUL: Hundreds of the most vulnerable Afghan patients are set to receive free eye treatment, including surgery, in Kabul this week under a medical intervention program funded by the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center.
The program is organized by the Afghan Red Crescent Society at the ARCS Central Hospital in Kabul from Aug. 24 to 28.
It is funded by KSrelief and Al-Basar International Foundation, a Saudi-based nongovernmental organization providing eye healthcare and visual rehabilitation to the most vulnerable and disadvantaged communities around the world.
“The five-day campaign will provide treatment and surgery services for 400 patients and screening services for around 4,000 others. Patients receive screening services, medicine, glasses and surgery free of charge,” Dr. Abdul Wali Utmanza, director of the ARCS Central Hospital, told Arab News. “Soon, an additional 400 patients in Nangarhar and 400 more in Kandahar will also undergo eye surgery.”
Al-Basar Foundation has been treating eye patients in Afghanistan with KSrelief support since 2023.
“Since then, thousands of patients have received care, and we remain committed to expanding these vital services even further,” said Rizwan Baloch, the foundation’s representative. “These services are crucial for restoring vision, improving lives, and reaching those without access to proper eye care.”
Of Afghanistan’s 43 million population, more than 400,000 are blind, according to the World Health Organization.
Dr. Shamsulhaq Salim, ophthalmologist from Herat, estimates that another 2 million are visually impaired and many of them can lose sight due to cataracts.
“Cataracts remain the leading cause of blindness in Afghanistan, yet a simple surgery can completely restore vision. However, a severe shortage of eye specialists and relevant modern facilities are major barriers,” he told Arab News.
“Afghanistan has an estimated 150 to 200 eye specialists nationwide, most of whom are based in major cities and provincial centers.”
There are only nine public eye hospitals in the country and a handful of private clinics.
For Mir Hamidullah, who arrived for treatment in Kabul from Surobi district, some 100 km away, the Saudi initiative offered a rare chance to restore his vision.
“I wouldn’t have been able to go to a private hospital to treat my eyes. That’s why I and so many others are here today, receiving free eye care,” he said.
“I sincerely hope other international organizations also step forward to support the Afghan people and recognize the difficult conditions we are living in.”
