30,000 patients treated at Al-Shifa eye camps
By Asim Hussain

RAWALPINDI—Al-Shifa Trust Eye Hospital Rawalpindi has treated more than 30,000 patients in 60 different free eye camps in the last three months.
President Al-Shifa Trust Eye Hospital Lt. Gen (Retrd) Jahan Dad Khan, said that the free eye camp was conducted under the Al-Shifa Trust Eye Hospital’s community outreach program and the camps were aimed at providing best eye care facilities for the needy at their doorsteps, Said Jahan Dad.
He further said that Al-Shifa has also increased its number of free eye camps keeping in view the increasing number of eye patients. The free eye camp was organized by Al-Shifa Trust Eye Hospital Rawalpindi and was conducted at Boliawal, Amir khan, Boota, S0-Jhanda Bhata, chura sharif, Jangla, Kabrial, Nara,J, Shamasabad and Kak chaudrey of District Attock, Chak Umra basharat, Bilalabad, talagang, Mulhal Mulghalan, Pir Phulhai Multan Khurd of district Chakwal, sukku, Narali, Sar Soba Shah Pind Jhatla, Budhu, Basali, Sihal, Dalwali and many other village from district bagh( Azad Kashmir), Rawalakot, Khushab, Abbottabad, Gujrat, sargodha, Jhelum, Haripur and district Sawabi
According to Lt Col (r) Khalid Mehmood Bhatti, the director of Al-Shifa Trust Centre for community ophthalmology department, over 30000 people were treated and out of that 1000 patients were referred to Al-Shifa Trust Eye Rawalpindi for operation. He said this was the record highest number of patients treated in a period of three months. Al-Shifa trust Eye Hospital is the only Hospital in the country to conduct free eye camps on such a large scale. Said Mr. Bhatti
He further said that The Al-Shifa Trust Eye camp team had almost achieved its mission by making people aware of eye diseases. A team of specialist doctors comprising Dr. Rizwan, Dr. Maryam Zakia,Dr. Kashif, dr. Jaffer , a health educationist Aslam Shah, Haji Aslam camp supervisor and 10 other paramedics conducted these camps.
Talking to the media persons Mr. Haji Aslam said the turnout was much higher as people and a large number of patients, both old and young, visited the camps.
He said people appreciate the initiative to setup these camps in far-flung areas. Meanwhile, the local government councilors also Al-Shifa to conduct a free surgical eye camp in future and had assured help in this regard
The team of Specialist doctors, screened patients for different eye ailment and Medicines and eye sight spectacles were also provided free of cost to the patients.
Talking to the media persons President Al-Shifa trust said that Al-Shifa Trust has taken upon itself the responsibility of the provision of accessible and affordable eye care services to the maximum number of poor and deprived people of Pakistan, particularly in the far-flung areas.
While giving the details of the camp Mr. Bhatti said that people from far-flung surrounding rural areas also attended the camps. Clinical examination including refraction of the patients was conducted on the site where medicines and spectacles were distributed amongst them.
The team of specialist doctors along with technicians and paramedics were detailed for examination of the outdoor patients while a team of technicians and paramedics remained busy in the providing medicine and spectacles to the patients. A significant backlog of cataract in this area implies to the affordability and lack of coordinated outreach services as probably the major barriers to the cataract surgery Said Mr. Bhatti.