RIYADH, 27 March 2006 — A National Committee for Prevention of Blindness (NCPB) was formed yesterday at Saudi Ophthalmology 2006, an annual international symposium organized by the King Khaled Eye Specialist Hospital in cooperation with the Saudi Ophthalmological Society (SOS). Prince Abdul Aziz ibn Ahmed, regional chairman of the International Agency for Prevention of Blindness (IAPB) and president of SOS, signed the agreement with Dr. Hamad Al-Manie, minister of health, for the formation of the NCPB.

More than 1,500 local participants with 15 guest lecturers from the United States, Australia, Japan, Turkey and Switzerland were present during the signing ceremony.

According to the agreement, the Ministry of Health and the IAPB will formulate a plan of action for the next five years to combat preventable blindness in the Kingdom.

“Such national committees are common in other parts of the world. A similar body in Saudi Arabia will help medical professionals identify and coordinate activities to reduce cases of blindness in the Kingdom,” Prince Abdul Aziz said.

He later presented the Prince Abdul Aziz ibn Ahmed ibn Abdul Aziz Al-Saud Shield for Prevention of Blindness to professor Brien Holden of Australia.

IVF Birthrate Goes Up

Hospitals with in-vitro fertilization facilities have found that the rate of IVF treatment for male infertility has risen in the Kingdom. The overall IVF birthrate has also grown as Saudi women with infertility problems no longer shy away from taking treatment. This was disclosed at a high-profile symposium on IVF & reproductive medicine inaugurated by Minister of Health Al-Manie at Dallah Hospital on Saturday.

Dr. Manie said the Saudi government has allowed the use of IVF technology under the supervision of certain regulatory authorities. But, it has banned the IVF outside marriages and surrogate motherhood, he said.

He said Dallah Hospital, the first private IVF center licensed by the ministry, was handling some 5,000 patients annually. The minister also opened an expo of reproductive medicine and technology organized on the sidelines of the four-day event in which more than 300 doctors, embryologists, experts and general physicians are participating.

Asked about treatment facilities in Saudi Arabia, Al-Manie said, “Some IVF centers were already operating in the country, while the ministry encouraged private initiatives in this area.”