Al-Shifa Trust Eye Hospital, Pakistan's leading eye care facility, has announced the completion of an extension block in the Chakwal Eye Hospital, allowing it to cater to the needs of five hundred patients per day. Chakwal Eye Hospital was designed to cater for 250 patients per day, but the influx forced the hospital administration to make temporary arrangements, said Maj. Gen. (Retd) Rehmat Khan, President of Al-Shifa Trust Eye Hospital. The trust was concerned about providing better facilities to the patients but was unable to extend and upgrade the hospital due to a lack of funds, he said while briefing media men. He said that at this juncture, Dr. Nasir Baz, a Pakistani doctor serving in Fresno, California, met him and expressed concern about the hospital in Chakwal.

He noticed that some patients were waiting outside under a makeshift shelter, and the hospital's infrastructure had become insufficient due to the overwhelming demand. Maj. Gen. Rehmat Khan said that he informed him of the financial constraints hindering expansion plans. Dr. Nasir Baz, who hails from a village in Chakwal, offered financial assistance to expand facilities and improve infrastructure. Additionally, he expressed full confidence in the ability and integrity of officials of the Al-Shifa Trust. Dr. Baz inquired about the cost of expansion and donated Rs 150 million for the purpose, enabling the trust to complete the hospital's expansion and upgrade within two years. Our Chakwal hospital can now accommodate 500 patients daily and provide round-the-clock emergency eye care services, thanks to Dr. Baz's generosity, Maj Gen (Retd) Rehmat Khan explained.

He added that the number of retinal and glaucoma surgeries will now reach 40 per day, in addition to the daily treatment of 30 to 40 glaucoma patients who do not require surgery. Maj Gen (Retd) Rehmat Khan announced the deployment of an outreach team in Chakwal villages to conduct school screenings and provide pick-up and drop-off facilities for serious patients. The Al-Shifa President told journalists that over the last 30 years, the trust has treated 30 million patients free of charge, a service worth Rs 13 billion. The free treatment also includes thousands of surgeries for glaucoma, retina, and cancer.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan