Indonesia and UAE's Noor Dubai Foundation provide free cataract surgeries to 500 Central Java residents

The Indonesian Ministry of Health, in partnership with the United Arab Emirates‑based Noor Dubai Foundation and the Indonesian Ophthalmologist Association, will perform 500 free cataract operations for residents of Banyumas district in Central Java. The surgeries are being carried out at Purwokerto Eye Hospital and are part of a broader social‑health program that also includes vision screening and training for 10‑12 resident doctors under senior ophthalmologists.

Deputy Health Minister Dante Saksono Harbuwono said Indonesia faces roughly 600,000 cataract cases and highlighted the need to expand access, noting the country's current cataract surgical rate of about 3,000 procedures per million people. UAE Ambassador to Indonesia Abdulla Salem Al Dhaheri described the initiative as a sign of strong bilateral ties, while Noor Dubai Foundation CEO Manal Omran Taryam Al Shamsi called the effort a preventive health and community‑empowerment measure.