SIALKOT, Nov 22: The Christian Hospitals Association of Pakistan (CHAP) has vowed to continue serving ailing humanity without discrimination of caste, colour and creed.

This was announced at the 31st annual conference of the CHAP held here on Saturday. The theme of the conference is “Growing Towards Excellence Together”. Punjab Excise and Taxation Minister Dr Shafiq Chaudhry was the chief guest at the inaugural session, while Punjab Industries Minister Ajmal Cheema presided over the concluding session of the three-day conference.

CHAP chairman Dr Ashchnaz Lall said around 400 hospitals, medical colleges and other institutions have been working in the subcontinent. They were started by the missionaries over 150 years ago with the aim to help the poor and the needy.

He said CHAP was founded in 1973 in Lahore. Two of its member institutions, Marie Adelaide Leprosy Centre and Leprosy Hospital in Rawalpindi, have been serving people in remote areas of Pakistan. The Marie Adelaide Centre has 259 centres which have been working in close collaboration with the government of Pakistan. Now they have included tuberculosis in their programme.

Dr Lall said some 66 Christian hospitals, clinics, dispensaries and community health and development institutions have been functioning in Pakistan. They joined hands and formed CHAP to assist each other.