First Israeli Project in Mauritania

(July 1999)

An Israeli eye clinic has, for the first time, operated in Mauritania, under the aegis of the Foreign Ministry's Center for International Cooperation (MASHAV).

The clinic, during which eye treatment was provided for many patients, began on July 11, 1999, and will continue through 23 July at the central hospital in the capital, Nouakchott, with the participation of Dr. Irit Rosenblatt and Dr. Anat Robinson, of the Rabin Medical Center in Petach Tikva.

On the first day of their arrival at the hospital in Nouakchott, the doctors saw and classified about 520 patients who had waited for them, despite many technical and logistic difficulties.

During their stay in Mauritania, Drs. Rosenblatt and Robinson will perform eye operations on patients suffering form various degrees of blindness, using a large quantity of disposable equipment flown in from Israel.

At the request of the local authorities, another eye clinic will operate in a similar format, during which as many patients as possible will be treated.

As part of the medical assistance Israel is extending to Mauritania, it has also been decided to promote the establishment of a national institute for treating terminal illnesses. Implementation of the first phase of this project is planned for this August.