1 Muzaffarabad hospital starts working

2 Al-Shifa Hospitals linked through Tele-ophthalmology

3 President of Al-Shifa Trust makes detailed round of Al-Shifa Hospitals

4 PIO Sukkur completed; Training to start

5 Construction of Al-Shifa Pharmaceuticals Complex to start soon

6 Al-Shifa Trust doctors win international recognition

7 AFNA USA pays rich tribute to the late General Jahandad Khan by a successful fund raiser

8 Fred Hollows Foundation ready to support Al-Shifa Projects

9 Ramadan Zakat Collection Plan finalized

10 Patients’ Column

11 Quartely Progress Report

11 Upcoming events

12 Appeal

“I have a dream”. The dream of Al-Shifa Trust, the dream of Late Jahandad Khan, has finally turned into reality. Today, with Muzaffarabad Eye Hospital being functional, Al-Shifa Trust has four state of the art eye hospitals in Pakistan and AJK. This hospital designed to be 200 bedded hospital and built at the cost of Rs. 300 million has the capacity to handle about 600 -1,000 patients and to undertake 60-80 surgeries daily. On 12 April, 2011, the hospital saw its first patient, 67 years old Malik Altaf from a remote village of Hariala Malkan, a remote village of AJK. Since then the number of patients is on the rise. This is the only eye specialist hospital of its kind in whole of AJK.

The staff for this hospital that completed its professional training earlier at Rawalpindi has now fully taken over its professional responsibilities in Muzaffarabad (See below).

The Teleophthalmology Project which Al-Shifa Trust launched in collaboration with Governments of Italy and Pakistan (PIDSA Project) has now completed its first phase by linking Rawalpindi and Sukkur Hospitals. Under this three years joint project, all four AST hospitals will be linked through broad band internet connectivity. This will enable the tele-diagnosis of complicated eye patients in Sukkur, Kohat and Muzaffarabad by senior specialists based at Rawalpindi. Similarly training of doctors and paramedics will also be conducted at all the four hospitals through tele-conferencing and tele-training programs. In the later phases of this project, rural health centers at district and sub-district level will also be connected with AST hospital at Rawalpindi.

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Immediately after succeeding late Jahandad Khan as President of Al-Shifa, Lt. Gen. (Retd.) Hamid Javaid, has set off to take full charge of the NGO in shortest possible time. “My aim is to keep Al-Shifa Trust on track as envisioned by its founder President. My immediate priority is working towards consolidation of our facilities, financial self-reliance, higher standard of patient care, employees’ welfare and human resource development”.

Over the last few months, the President Al-Shifa has visited Rawalpindi, Kohat and Sukkur Hospitals. He observed the working of the hospitals and thoroughly discussed the measures to improve the accessibility and standard of eye care at these hospitals. He met with the employees and sought their views about patient and staff welfare. 

As a result of these visits important decisions have been made.  It was decided that stitch-less surgery – commonly known as phaco surgery (erroneously termed  as laser treatment of cataract), which is now in vogue in developed world, will be popularized and in next one year, it will be the main form of cataract surgery at all Al-Shifa Hospitals. In order to further promote this amongst the patients, the rates have been heavily subsidized. Comprehensive steps have been taken to maintain the highest standards of patient care through timely replacement of essential equipment and improvement in infrastructure.

The President also met local notables including MPA, Mr. Noman Sheikh, who specially visited Al-Shifa Sukkur and assured all possible help from Government to strength the reputed Al-Shifa institution. Mr. Sheikh took keen interest in recently completed training institute at Sukkur hospital and hoped that it will help a lot in providing skilled professionals in the field of eye care in this area.

PIO Sukkur completed; Training to start

The construction of Pakistan Institute of Ophthalmology (PIO) at Sukkur Hospital is now complete. Build at the cost of Rs. 50 million, this project is of paramount importance for human resource development for the entire region. The training of Nursing Assistants will start in June this year.

As the market demand for Al-Shifa eye products has gradually increased due to good quality and affordable cost, there has been a need for larger, custom-built building for purpose. The site for construction had already been earmarked in Al-Shifa Master Plan. Our senior Trustee, Ch. Rashid, a reputed architect with vast experience has already finalized the site plan and construction will start in near future. The total project cost is estimated to be around Rs. 200 million.

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Al-Shifa Trust doctors win international recognition

Two senior doctors of Al-Shifa Trust Eye Hospital won awards at Asia Pacific Academy of Ophthalmology (APAO) Congress held in Sydney (Australia) from 20-25 March 2011.  APAO is the highest forum of ophthalmology in the Asia Pacific region including 66 countries. The awards are given to individuals having contributed significantly in the prevention of blindness in their respective countries and the region.

Prof Dr Wajid Ali Khan, Dean and Chief Consultant at Al-Shifa Trust Eye Hospital, Rawalpindi, received the “Outstanding Services in Prevention of Blindness” Award. He is a well-known eye specialist of the country and head of cornea and refractive surgery with vast experience in cornea transplant and laser refractive surgery. Prof Dr Tayyab Afghani is Director of Projects and Publications and Head of Oculoplastic Department. He was conferred with “Distinguished Services” Award. Prof Tayyab has extensive experience in dealing with tumors and plastic and reconstructive surgery of eye, is in-charge of projects & publication cell of Al-Shifa Trust, has wide experience in teaching ophthalmology and has played pivotal role in community ophthalmology in Pakistan.

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Al-Shifa Foundation of North America (AFNA) pays rich tribute to the late General Jahandad Khan by raising US$100,000- for Al-Shifa Trust Eye Hospitals in Pakistan

The New Jersey Chapter of AFNA, USA organized the annual fund raising event on Saturday April 9th, 2011 and paid a special tribute to the late General Jahandad Khan, the Founder of Al-Shifa Trust, Pakistan. Over 250 guests including old friends and new donors of AFNA attended this event. It was an emotional evening where Tahir Zafar, President of AFNA gave eulogy to the late General. Mr. Tahir Zafar said that such selfless and humble humanitarians are born in centuries that are wired to do the God’s work on earth. He mentioned some of the stories of his travel with the late General for fund raising in various cities of the United States and Canada. Tahir said that he did not remember if General ever purchased anything for himself or family during his many visits to North America and he was always thinking about the poor and needy patients in line for surgeries at Al-Shifa eye hospitals. Tahir Zafar said that the board of trustees, volunteers and friends of Al-Shifa in Pakistan and overseas are all indebted to the late General for introducing us to philanthropy and this noble mission. In a very somber manner he mentioned that Mr. Jahandad Khan in his last ‘will’ asked the board of trustees, foreign chapters, volunteers and donors in Pakistan and overseas never to abandon this noble mission after his death and instead should work harder and donate more to bring light to those who are living in darkness.

AFNA raised $100,000- including pledges in this event which was the highest ever from this chapter in the last four years. This function was attended by Mayor Shing-Fu Hsueh of West Windsor Township in New Jersey.

The Mayor

The U.S. Congressman Rush Holt could not attend the event this year (attended last year’s event in 2010) but sent a letter of appreciation to AFNA honoring the life and spirit of the late General Jahandad Khan. In this he wrote “I join you in honoring the life and spirit of General Jahandad Khan. He has created a thriving Trust which continues his legacy and his work. The world is a better place for it”.

The New Jersey team worked hard to make this event successful and our thanks to all the organizing committee members including Dr. Noshin Ahmed, Dr. Zahid Baig, Dr. Amar Bukhari, Tehmina Jovindah, Huma Farooq and many others.

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Al-Shifa Trust has been working with over half a dozen INGOs since it started its first hospital back in 1991. Fred Hollows Foundation, an Australian based INGO and having a country office in Pakistan as well, is one of the most active organization working in the field of prevention and control of blindness all over the world. Al-Shifa and Fred Hollows have a long standing partnership built over many years. FHF has earlier helped Al-Shifa in microsurgical training of district level ophthalmologists in Punjab. Al-Shifa is also providing subspecialty training in pediatric ophthalmology and retina to FHF funded ophthalmologists.

Recently, Dr. Rubina Nauman Gillani, Country Manager of the Fred Hollows Foundation along with her team, visited Al-Shifa Trust Rawalpindi and met with senior faculty and management. FHF agreed to support the capacity building of pediatric ophthalmology through international training of our ophthalmologists, optometrists and nurses as well as training of ophthalmic midlevel personnel at Al-Shifa. These projects will start in near future.

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With Ramadan fast approaching in two months time, a plan has been chalked out to motivate the donors and philanthropists to donate generously for the noble cause of restoring the sight to the blind.  We request to all our friends and donors to fully participate not only through personal contributions but also through motivating every one. The reward for charity in Ramadan is multiplied thousands of times.

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Patient Column

Where there is a will, there is a way: Army officers donate their eyes for poor patients

There are around 300,000 people in Pakistan who are blind because of corneal disease. The only known cure of corneal opacity is its total or partial replacement with a donor cornea. The procedure, known as keratoplasty or corneal grafting is quite successful in expert hands. However in Pakistan, no one is ready to donate his/her eyes after death. So most of the time, the donor cornea is imported from abroad and these are very few in number and costly to import.  As a result there is a very long waiting list of blind children and adults who are looking for donor corneas to see the world again. Occasionally concerted efforts have been made to create awareness about this problem in Pakistan but results have been very disappointing.  However there are at times rays of hopes amidst the gloomy picture. Maj. Ghulam Ali along with his wife  and Maj. Shahid, of Pakistan Army have set one such example. They specially came to the hospital and gave their signed ‘will’ along with the consent of heirs to donate the corneas after their death. We are proud of you Majors and hope that this sets an example for everyone in Pakistan.

Shumaila is happy again
She was 18 years then, young energetic and good looking. It was December 2009, while she being the only woman in the house, was preparing meal for her father, suddenly fell over the burning stove as a result of epileptic fit. Her right eye was totally figured.  Jandiala Sher Khan is a remote village of Punjab. Her father did all in his means to get treatment for her daughter. Finally after almost two years, he brought Shumaila to Al-Shifa where she has recently been treated at department of plastic surgery of eye, free of cost and is well on the recovery path.
Note: If you know anyone who has epilepsy, kindly note that fire may induce a fit. Such patients should be advised to wear protective heat-proof goggles while in kitchen.

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Quarterly Progress Report