Potiskum: The King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center (KSrelief), based in Saudi Arabia, has successfully conducted 21,000 free sight-restoring surgeries in Nigeria since 2019. This was revealed by Mr. Mohammed Al-Sahabi, the Project’s Communications Officer, during an eye treatment outreach organized by KSrelief in Potiskum, Yobe.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, the center has also carried out over 218,000 ophthalmic screenings and distributed more than 45,000 prescription eyeglasses to patients under the Saudi Noor project. The initiative includes a comprehensive range of clinical interventions such as diagnostic eye examinations, cataract extraction with intraocular lens (IOL) implantation, treatment of refractive errors, and distribution of corrective eyewear.
The Saudi Noor project operates under the guidance of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, and His Royal Highness the Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. This effort is a part of Saudi Arabia’s global humanitarian vision, championed through KSrelief, aiming to enhance health outcomes and reduce disease burdens in vulnerable populations.
The outreach in Potiskum, scheduled from May 12 to 19, aims to deliver comprehensive ophthalmologic services to underserved populations in North-East Nigeria to prevent blindness. The center plans to conduct about 5,000 ophthalmic surgeries and distribute 130,000 eyeglasses during this outreach.
Al-Sahabi highlighted that KSrelief’s efforts have significantly improved visual outcomes and quality of life for thousands of Nigerians, especially in rural communities with limited access to eye care. He added that KSrelief’s global outreach has earned recognition as one of the world’s most active humanitarian institutions. Since its establishment in 2015, the center has implemented more than 3,400 humanitarian projects in over 107 countries, with medical and humanitarian presence in over 30 nations, conducting blindness prevention campaigns in countries such as Sudan, Yemen, Bangladesh, and Mauritania.