RAWALPINDI, Feb 17: Al-Shifa Eye Trust will set up two eye- care hospitals one in NWFP and other in Balochistan besides help in strengthening ophthalmic facilities at public hospitals in 51 districts in the next few years.

Talking to Dawn, President of the Trust Lt-Gen (Rtd) Jahandad Khan said the setting up two new hospitals will realize the long cherished goal of having a major eye care centre in all the four province’s of the country.

Al-Shifa Trust has now these facilities in Punjab and Sindh.

He said improved eye-care facilities at public hospitals will help in taking specialized eye treatment to masses living living in far-flung areas.

Giving details of the District Focus Programme under which the ophthalmic facilities are proposed to be upgraded, the general said an estimated Rs510 million will be spent on this programme. This project will be accomplished with sustained assistance and cooperation of national and international NGOs, philanthropists and government agencies, he added.

Al-Shifa chief said provincial governments would bear the staff and infra-structure expenses, while the donor agencies would cater for the capital cost of equipment and other medical heads and his own Trust would look after mobilization of funds, training of staff and monitoring and maintenance of equipment.

On the two new hospitals, he said, he has been assured by the NWFP governor Lt-Gen (Rtd) Syed Iftikhar Hussain Shah of assistance in setting up of one of these facilities in NWFP. He further said he is also in touch with the Balochistan government for the establishment of the other hospital.

Gen Jahandad Khan disclosed that the Trust plans to play an active role in the rehabilitation of eye-care facilities in Afghanistan and has communicated his intentions to the federal minister for Kashmir Affairs and Northern Affairs Abbass Sarfraz Khan.

Under the Afghan reconstruction programme, he said, we plan to offer training facilities of Trust’s Pakistan Institute of Ophthalmology for training Afghan doctors and paramedics.

Afghan doctors will be imparted ophthalmic training in micro surgery, refresher training in clinical and surgical procedures and postgraduate and fellowship training in all sub-specialities of ophthalmology.

For the para-medics, we intend to offer various courses related to nursing, optometrists, orthoptists, OPD/OT technicians and bio-medical technicians.