Staff Reporter
RAWALPINDI, :In a pivotal step toward reducing avoidable blindness in underserved regions of the country, the Al-Shifa Trust (AST) has launched a fully equipped mobile operation theatre (OT) donated by the Oil and Gas Development Company Limited (OGDCL).At the handover ceremony held at THQ Hospital Fateh Jang, Major General (Retd.) Rehmat Khan, President of Al-Shifa Trust, called the mobile OT “a beacon of hope” for rural communities.The high-tech unit comprising three fully equipped trucks would bring life-changing eye surgeries to the doorsteps of those who cannot afford travel or access to hospitals located in major cities, significantly improving their quality of life. During the 2024–25 financial year, Rehmat informed that nearly 360,000 schoolchildren were screened for vision problems, he informed.He added that 700 eye camps had already been held this year, a 30 per cent increase over last year, and “We are determined to go further in our mission to prevent avoidable blindness.”The AST President informed that the mobile unit, built to international standards, could perform up to 100 eye surgeries daily in areas lacking surgical facilities.Dr. Muhammad Najam Ul Hasnat, the outreach program’s general manager, said the mobile OT was sterile, self-contained, and ready to serve communities in even the most remote locations.OGDCL Managing Director Mr. Ahmed Hayat Lak, who was the chief guest at the occasion, highlighted the organisation’s longstanding support of Al-Shifa Trust.
He said that since 2017, “We’ve sponsored 160 surgical camps, enabled 28,000 surgeries, treated over 260,000 patients, and screened 75,000 schoolchildren.”Expressing pride in working with A-Shifa Trust and affirming a commitment to strengthening cooperation with the trust, he added that the mobile unit will enhance time management and bring new dimensions to the cause. All the surgeries, including cataract procedures, were successfully performed in the new mobile unit, marking the beginning of a new chapter of eye care in remote areas.
