Doha, August 09 (QNA) - Qatar Charity and the Mauritanian Ministry of Health have signed a memorandum of understanding to strengthen cooperation in the health sector, support the Ministry's priorities, and address the population's basic needs, in line with Mauritania's health strategies and policies.

The memorandum was signed on behalf of Qatar Charity by Director of its office in Mauritania Omar Abdulaziz Mohammed, and on behalf of the Mauritanian Ministry of Health by the Secretary-General of the Ministry Alia Yahya Meknous.

In a statement, Qatar Charity said that the memorandum will establish a framework for cooperation between the two sides in several key health areas, including training, professional development and capacity building, the construction and equipping of health facilities, and the organization of medical campaigns and convoys. It also covers support for financing and revolving financing mechanisms, with the Ministry of Health responsible for operating and maintaining the health facilities benefiting from the cooperation.

The Director of Qatar Charity's office in Mauritania said the new projects represent a significant qualitative advancement in terms of the groups and medical specialties they target, noting that Qatar Charity aligns its projects with the Mauritanian government's plans and strategies.

For her part, the Secretary-General of the Mauritanian Ministry of Health affirmed the Ministry's readiness to cooperate and provide all the facilities required by Qatar Charity in the sector, highlighting the importance of the health initiatives that Qatar Charity's office is working to launch.

In a related development, Qatar Charity's office in Mauritania also signed a memorandum of understanding with the National Cardiology Center aimed at establishing a framework for relations between the two sides, strengthening cooperation in healthcare and cardiology, identifying opportunities for mutually beneficial cooperation, supporting health services, and implementing specialized treatment programs such as cardiac catheterization procedures and the correction of heart defects. The memorandum also covers building the capacity of local healthcare personnel and organizing medical campaigns and convoys.

Qatar Charity is currently implementing several specialized health initiatives in Mauritania, including the establishment of a new health center, campaigns to perform open-heart surgery for 18 children, cochlear implants for children with hearing loss, treatment for people suffering from cataracts that cause blindness, and the distribution of life-saving medicines.

It is also implementing a malnutrition-prevention program lasting several months across several Mauritanian districts, to improve the health and nutritional status of the most vulnerable groups. (QNA)