Al-Shifa trust to set up clinical eye care centers
By Hina Kiyani

RAWALPINDI—Al-Shifa Trust Eye Hospital plans to set up clinical centers for primary and secondary level eye care in government hospitals at tehsil level besides transforming its regional centers into centres of excellence.
This was stated by Al-Shifa Eye Trust President Lt Gen (Retd) Jahan Dad Khan while talking to media men here on Tuesday. Jehan Dad said that in this regard a new institute of Ophthalmology has been set up at Sukkur Hospital and Prime Minister Muhammedmian Soomro had laid the foundation stone.
Jahan Dad said that the establishment of ophthalmology institute was among major components of the plan to make Al-Shifa Trust as a center of excellence having all kind of modern eye care treatments facilities
He said Al-Shifa Trust free eye camps programme were getting popularity among the masses and trained doctors would be accommodated at Al-Shifa Trust Eye Hospital regional centres to facilitate the people of remote areas. The trust currently runs three eye hospitals and plans to establish two more. The hospital in Rawalpindi has been working since 1991, the one in Sukkur since 2000 and the one in Kohat since 2003. He said all these hospitals would be made financially self-reliant so that they can serve people in a better way.
He said the trust would commercialese all unutilised land to generate revenue to sustain its hospitals. The trust is also registered as a charity in various western countries and many international NGOs generously donate money to treat patients offering from eye diseases in Pakistan, he added.
He said the Trust’s annual budget was Rs. 200 million and this would increase significantly. He said these regional hospitals would also serve as research centers and the trust 20-year program also included a district focus plan. The government will provide the infrastructure and staff whereas the trust will impart basic training and help make up the deficiencies. He said the trust will cover 110 districts by 2025. Jahan Dad Khan said Prime Minister was appreciative of the services and planning of the trust to introduce training system, enabling the doctors to complete the required courses of eye diseases in a period of about 12 to 14 years.