Almarai funds free cataract surgeries

Almarai signed a partnership agreement on May 14 with Saudi Arabia’s Health Endowments Association to launch the “Beautiful Eyes” initiative, a program that will pay for cataract surgeries for financially disadvantaged patients across the kingdom. The company said the program will fully fund operations for eligible low-income patients who need treatment but cannot afford it. The agreement was signed at the association’s headquarters in Dammam, according to HealthCare Middle East & Africa and Almarai’s corporate news page. The program adds a healthcare project to Almarai’s broader corporate social responsibility work. The company has not publicly disclosed how many patients it expects to treat, which hospitals will perform the surgeries, or the budget allocated to the initiative, based on material published as of May 15. ### Who signed the agreement, and where was it announced? (healthcaremea.com) The May 14 agreement was signed in Dammam by Abdulrahman Al Afalig, Almarai’s head of corporate communications, and Moayad Al Hadban, chief executive officer of the Health Endowments Association. HealthCare Middle East & Africa reported the signing details, while Almarai’s corporate site listed the initiative among its latest company news dated May 10, 2026. (healthcaremea.com) Almarai’s corporate page refers to the partner as the Health Endowment Fund in its news listing, while the HealthCare Middle East & Africa report names the organization as the Health Endowments Association. The two references describe the same “Beautiful Eyes” initiative and the same signing date shown on Almarai’s site. (healthcaremea.com) ### Who is supposed to receive the surgeries? Eligible low-income patients in Saudi Arabia are the target group for the program, according to the May 14 report. HealthCare Middle East & Africa said the initiative is designed for patients who urgently need cataract treatment and cannot cover the cost of care. Cataract surgery is the only effective treatment once the eye’s natural lens becomes clouded, the report said. (healthcaremea.com) The publication added that untreated cataracts can lead to partial or complete vision loss, and said standard cases have success rates above 95% when procedures are performed by trained specialists. ### What details has Almarai left unspecified? (healthcaremea.com) Almarai has not named the specialized medical facilities that will carry out the surgeries in the material reviewed on May 15. The company also has not published a patient target, implementation timeline, or financial commitment for the initiative on its corporate news and investor pages reviewed by Reuters-style checks here. (healthcaremea.com) The absence of those details leaves the scope of the rollout unclear. Public materials confirm the partnership and the funding purpose, but not the number of surgeries, the geographic distribution of treatment sites, or the start date for patient intake. ### How does this fit into Almarai’s other community health work? (healthcaremea.com) HealthCare Middle East & Africa said the cataract program builds on other Almarai healthcare partnerships. The report said the company previously signed agreements with the Asmaok Association to support children with cochlear implants and with the Kafeef Association to support visually impaired people through community programs. (healthcaremea.com) Almarai has also cited earlier support for children with rheumatism in a May 6 company update. The company’s sustainability and corporate materials present those projects as part of a wider social and community agenda rather than a standalone medical business line. ### What does Almarai’s public profile show about the company behind the initiative? Almarai describes itself as the Middle East’s leading food and beverage manufacturer and distributor and says it was founded in 1977. (healthcaremea.com) The company says more than 42 million consumers use its products across the Arabian Gulf, Egypt and Jordan, and that its products reach more than 220,000 points of sale in seven countries. Almarai’s investor relations pages show the company continues to publish regular financial statements and company announcements alongside its community updates. (almarai.com) The next concrete disclosures are likely to appear through its corporate news feed, investor announcements, or financial calendar if the company provides hospital names, budgets or treatment targets for the cataract program. (almarai.com)