KARACHI, Dec 20: Sindh Governor Dr Ishratul Ibad, who inaugurated a corneal transplant unit set up in his name by the Pakistan Eye Bank Society at North Karachi on Monday evening, announced sponsoring at least two transplants a month.

Ishratul Ibad also assured all possible cooperation on behalf of the government with regard to legislation on transplant.

Later, addressing a conference on ‘Corneal Transplant’, organized by the Society at its hospital, the governor asked the provincial health authorities to work on setting up of eye banks in district hospitals across the province.

“The country is said to have three million people deprived of eye sight and their number is increasing. We need to take steps to extend treatment facilities besides adopting preventive measures,” he asserted.

Dr Ibad directed that an organized plan be devised for awareness and training programmes in schools and emphasized that advantage should be taken from the programme being followed by Eye Bank Society and their teacher’s training program.

He told the audience that hospital management boards were being set up at all teaching hospitals in the province to run them in an effective manner for the benefit of poor patients.

He appreciated the efforts of the society for suffering humanity and eyesight restoration. “It is praiseworthy to accept such a big challenge through public donations and provide facilities equipped with modern equipment”, he said and added that organization which strived with sincerity and commitment, deserved public and government support from all angles.

The governor said that the journey of development would be accelerated and strengthened. Besides revival of economy, the journey of development in the fields of sports, culture and every other sector would continue. He also spoke on emerging positive image of Karachi the world over and referred to international events like Pakistan-England cricket match organized in Karachi.

Earlier, PEBS Secretary General Qazi Sajid praised the governor for his personal efforts towards corneal transplant and clarified that the Society had never sought government funds for its operations.

He said that so far 250,000 people had been benefited by the Society that had also undertaken 15,000 operations and organized 800 eye camps. –PPI/APP