Iran Daily

Cardiff-based doctor sees health progress in Iraq

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your eyes on their feet longer.

A healthy diet is important to your vision because it reduces your risk of obesity, which in turn lowers your risk of diabetes.

The condition, which affects more than four million Brits, is now the leading cause of preventabl­e sight loss.

It can cause a problem known as diabetic retinopath­y, An Iraqi doctor said he is optimistic for the future of his home country after returning to Wales from a visit following a health scare.

Dr. Laith Al-rubaiy had raised concern over a diarrhoeal illness in Basra during a water crisis last year, BBC wrote.

The consultant gastroente­rologist, who is based in Cardiff, Wales, has been nominated for an internatio­nal award for his work helping improve medical care in Iraq.

He said Iraq was ‘gradually returning to some semblance of normality’.

A year and a half since the defeat of Daesh terrorist group in the country, and six months since Iraq was in the which damages blood vessels at the back of the eye.

Go easy on heating

Dry eye is a common and uncomforta­ble condition, particular­ly among those aged over 65, and it is made worse by cranking up the heating. grip of a water crisis, Al-rubaiy said Iraqis knew not to get their hopes up.

But he said there are signs resilience is growing in important areas of Iraqi society.

“Certainly, in my own field — medicine and healthcare — the country of my birth now has an air of guarded optimism,” he said, after returning from a visit two weeks ago.

“A hugely welcome change from the feelings I had the last time I visited. This is a great step forward to provide equality and quality in health services to everyone.”

Al-rubaiy, who lives in Cardiff with his wife, eight-year-old son and daughter, five, is a senior clinical lecturer at Swansea University, and works as a consultant at St. Mark’s hospital in Harrow, Greater London.

On March 21, he will find out whether he has won the St. David Internatio­nal Award at a ceremony in Cardiff.

He was nominated in recognitio­n of his four visits in five years to Basra, in southern Iraq, where he worked with the Amar Foundation to set up mobile clinics, train medical profession­als, establish cancer and virus screening projects and set up Skype consultati­ons with doctors in Cardiff.

Dr. Ali Muthanna, Amar’s general director in Iraq, described the level of care provided by Dr. Al-rubaiy as ‘exceptiona­l’.

“He is a passionate supporter of Amar’s healthcare services in Iraq and his voluntary work with us makes a real difference to the lives of some of Iraq’s poorest people,” he said.

For Al-rubaiy, who trained in Basra during the US and allied invasion in 2003, it represents an opportunit­y to return Iraq’s healthcare system to being the envy of the region.

“If this positive momentum continues, it will not be long until the Iraq healthcare system, that was once the best in the region, achieves its full potential,” he added.

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allaboutvi­sion.com
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BBC

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