• Diba Cisskho, 70, lost his eyesight to river blindness. His translucent eyes are the telltale sign of the disease, which is transmitted by black flies. Courtesy Ed Kashi
    Diba Cisskho, 70, lost his eyesight to river blindness. His translucent eyes are the telltale sign of the disease, which is transmitted by black flies. Courtesy Ed Kashi
  • Fily Kamara, 76, was treated for river blindness decades ago and still has his eyesight, although it is greatly diminished. Courtesy Ed Kashi
    Fily Kamara, 76, was treated for river blindness decades ago and still has his eyesight, although it is greatly diminished. Courtesy Ed Kashi
  • River blindness is caused by repeated bites from black flies that live near flowing water. Courtesy Ed Kashi
    River blindness is caused by repeated bites from black flies that live near flowing water. Courtesy Ed Kashi
  • A young boy from the Yanomami tribe, who live in the rainforest in Brazil and Venezuela. Courtesy: Sam Valadi / Flickr
    A young boy from the Yanomami tribe, who live in the rainforest in Brazil and Venezuela. Courtesy: Sam Valadi / Flickr
  • A worker fumigates the street against mosquito breeding to prevent diseases such as malaria, dengue and Zika in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. Andres Martinez Casares / Reuters
    A worker fumigates the street against mosquito breeding to prevent diseases such as malaria, dengue and Zika in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. Andres Martinez Casares / Reuters

UAE

Emirates Red Crescent's Reach The End campaign appeals for donations during Ramadan

Last year more than Dh2.8 million was raised during the holy month to help fight tropical diseases

The National

April 15, 2021

  • English
  • Arabic

Emirates Red Crescent is appealing for donations to its Reach The End campaign during Ramadan.

The initiative is designed to support those suffering from tropical diseases such as river blindness.

The previous Ramadan campaign raised more than Dh2.8 million. The money donated during the holy month went to protect the vision of 1.4 million people over the last year.

Progress has already been made to eradicate the disease.

In the Americas, the debilitating condition was eliminated in Colombia in 2007 and in Ecuador in 2009.

The biggest area of concern is Africa, where 99 per cent of the 20 million affected people live.

The treatment for river blindness is ivermectin (also known as Mectizan), but it also protects people from lymphatic filariasis, another disease caused by parasites.

Unlike previous treatments, which had serious – sometimes fatal – side effects, ivermectin is safe and can be used on a wide scale.

Ivermectin has transformed the lives of millions of people suffering from river blindness since its introduction in 1987.

You can donate to the Reach The End campaign by texting ‘GIVE’ to 2424 or visit https://www.emiratesrc.ae/reach​

UAERamadan 2026