RAWALPINDI, Jun 17 (APP):Al-Shifa Trust Eye Hospital has formally started construction of its new Lahore facility, planned as South Asia’s largest and most modern eye hospital, marking a major expansion of its efforts to provide specialised eye care to millions. President Al-Shifa Trust Maj. Gen. (Retd) Rehmat Khan termed the project a significant milestone in the Trust’s mission to expand access to quality treatment and reduce preventable blindness across the …
Al-Shifa Trust starts construction of South Asia’s largest eye hospital
RAWALPINDI, Jun 17 (APP):Al-Shifa Trust Eye Hospital has formally started construction of its new Lahore facility, planned as South Asia’s largest and most modern eye hospital, marking a major expansion of its efforts to provide specialised eye care to millions.
President Al-Shifa Trust Maj. Gen. (Retd) Rehmat Khan termed the project a significant milestone in the Trust’s mission to expand access to quality treatment and reduce preventable blindness across the country, says an official press release.
He said the Trust had awarded the construction contract to a Lahore-based firm, with the agreement requiring completion of the grey structure within 13 months, adding that strict provisions had been included to discourage delays.
A commencement ceremony was held at the project site where officials, engineers, consultants and construction staff offered prayers for the successful completion of the hospital, he said.
The president informed that the hospital is being built on 70 kanals of land provided by the Punjab government on Ring Road, Raiwind. He said the facility would feature 20 advanced operation theatres and offer modern treatment for a wide range of eye diseases.
He said the hospital would serve around 20 million people and treat over 600,000 patients annually, adding that free treatment would be available to deserving and underprivileged patients in line with the Trust’s policy of ensuring care regardless of financial capacity.
Highlighting the need for such initiatives, he said that vision impairment remained a major public health challenge in Pakistan, with over 26 million people affected by blindness or partial vision loss. He added that cataract accounted for more than half of all cases, while most were avoidable, and Central Punjab had the highest prevalence.
He highlighted that over the past 35 years, Al-Shifa Trust had expanded its services from treating 25 patients daily to more than 5,000, and was currently operating seven hospitals in Rawalpindi, Sukkur, Kohat, Muzaffarabad, Chakwal, Gilgit and Haveli Lakha.
“The Trust has also organized over 15,000 free screening and surgical camps in remote areas, bringing eye care services to underserved communitie”, he added.
Presieent informed that between 80 and 90% of patients receive free treatment, while the Lahore project is expected to further strengthen efforts to reduce avoidable blindness and improve access to modern eye care services.
Meanwhile, the Trust also organized a fundraising event featuring performances by Rahat Fateh Ali Khan and Ustad Noor Bakhsh, where philanthropists contributed Rs. 100 million for the project.
