An-Najah Inaugurates Its 1st International Optometry Conference
On Friday, September 2nd, 2016, under the patronage of the Prime Minister Professor Rami Hamdallah, An-Najah National University inaugurated its 1st International Optometry Conference at the Korean-Palestinian IT Institute of Excellence in the New Campus.
The conference was attended by Prof. Maher Natsheh, Acting President of An-Najah; Dr. Hamdi Nabulsi, Director General of Hospitals at the Ministry of Health; Mr. Abdullah Saied, Head of the Optometry Union in Palestine; Dr. Nawaf Al-Qasrwa, Head of the Palestinian Ophthalmological Society and Dr. Younis Dudin, Head of the Association of Optometrists in Jordan.
The conferences aimed at promoting primary eye care services to all categories of the Palestinian community and integrating them with others through developing sustainable human resources under the supervision of professional optometrists and ophthalmologists.
In his opening speech, Prof. Natsheh talked about the Optometry Department which was inaugurated in 2004 and its clinic development over the years which became the first programme to offer university students clinical training. He mentioned that the department has become a rich source of distinguished research. He then talked about An-Najah's aspirations to develop its human resources, infrastructure and academic production. He also discussed building partnerships between the Optometry Department and the EU Projects on different levels to develop the programme and services of optometrist education and training in addition to collaboration projects with the Ministries of Health and Education and Higher Education, the UNRWA and the Bethlehem Arab Society for Rehabilitation.
Dr. Al-Nabulsi stressed the importance of the conference topics which play an important role in eye care. He also referred to developing professional collaboration with Health Services Unions including Optometry Union. He further commended Prof. Hamdallah for establishing the New Campus and Dr. Kherieh Rassas for establishing the Optometry Department in 2004.
Dr. Qasrwa stressed the importance of partnership between optometrists and ophthalmologists to improve vision care services and eliminate preventable blindness.
Dr. Saied commended the conference participants’ hard work pointing to the importance of such events in Palestine. He also requested to promote optometry as a primary eye care profession, expand low vision services in Palestine, implement the Palestinian Ministry of Health resolutions to maintain the standard quality of higher education and reinforce professional cooperation between the union and An-Najah.
Mr. Fares Al-Mahroum, official sponsor of the conference commended the university role in encouraging cooperation and partnership with the private sector and displayed a short video on the company’s optometry products and equipment and the manufacturing process.
Finally, Dr. Liana Al-Labadi, Head of the Optometry Department at an-Najah explained the significance of the conference slogan “Building Blocks towards Better Eye Care for All” and how it refers to offering eye care services to all people regardless of the age, social status or residency area. She said that the conference aims at improving primary eye care services especially for those who suffer from the four main eye diseases most common in Palestine; namely, Diabetic Eye, Cataract, Keratoconus and Refractive Errors.
Notes:
The conference sponsors are Mahroum Optic, Hajal Optics, Optic Land, Beit Jala Pharmaceutical, Arabco, Etimad Taxi Company and Izhiman's Coffee Group.
The conference activities included an exhibition for the sponsors’ companies’ products.
The conference 2nd session will be held on Sunday, September 4th, 2016.
