Dubai  - Dubai launched Wednesday an initiative aimed at providing preventive eye care for over one million people in an effort to eradicate blindness.

The ruler of the booming Gulf emirate, Mohamed bin Rashed al-Maktoum, said in a statement read on his behalf at the launch of the initiative that he would fund treatment for people in the United Arab Emirates and the world.

He announced that the campaign called Noor Dubai will try to help the World Health Organization (WHO) and the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness to achieve their goal of eradicating curable forms of blindness.

The initiative is aimed at people in Iraq, Afghanistan, Mali, Sri Lanka, Kenya, Pakistan, Ethiopia, Bangladesh, Egypt, Jordan and Palestine.

The Muslim holy month of Ramadan, which started this week, is marked by a surge in charity-giving, especially in the oil-rich Gulf region.

Forbes magazine reported in August that the Dubai ruler's wealth is 18 billion dollars. (dpa)