ISLAMABAD, Jul 22 – The President of Al-Shifa Trust Eye Hospital, Maj. Gen. (Retd) Rehmat Khan, has announced that the Chakwal Eye Hospital will now treat up to 500 eye patients daily. This significant milestone was celebrated with the completion of the hospital’s new extension block on Monday.
Maj. Gen. (Retd) Rehmat Khan explained that the Chakwal Eye Hospital was originally designed to cater to 250 patients each day. However, a surge in patient numbers necessitated temporary arrangements to handle the influx. The trust was deeply committed to providing better facilities but struggled to extend and upgrade the hospital due to financial constraints.
During this challenging period, Dr. Nasir Baz, a Pakistani doctor serving in Fresno, California, expressed his concern for the Chakwal hospital. Maj. Gen. Rehmat Khan shared the hospital’s financial difficulties with Dr. Baz, who hails from a village in Chakwal. Understanding the urgent need, Dr. Baz generously donated Rs 150 million to support the hospital’s expansion and upgrade.
“Thanks to Dr. Baz’s generosity, our Chakwal hospital can now accommodate 500 patients daily and provide round-the-clock emergency eye care services,” Maj. Gen. (Retd) Rehmat Khan stated. He also noted that the hospital will now perform up to 40 retinal and glaucoma surgeries per day and treat 30 to 40 glaucoma patients daily who do not require surgery.
Additionally, Maj. Gen. (Retd) Rehmat Khan announced the deployment of an outreach team to the villages of Chakwal. This team will conduct school screenings and offer pick-up and drop-off services for patients needing serious medical attention.
Over the past 30 years, Al-Shifa Trust has treated 30 million patients free of charge, investing Rs 13 billion in healthcare services, including thousands of surgeries for glaucoma, retina issues, and eye cancer. The completion of the extension block and the new initiatives mark a significant enhancement in the hospital’s capacity to serve the community.
