The opening ceremony of the new facility was performed by City Nazim Syed Mustafa Kamal at a function held in the hospital’s premises which was attended by the senior doctors and city government officials here on Tuesday.
The hospital was known for the provision of best eye care services not only in Pakistan but also abroad and once it was pioneer of corneal graft surgery in Pakistan but for various reasons this service was not available to the poor patients for the last many years.
Named Khursheed Begum Diabetic Eye Disease and Laser Treatment Department, established at a cost of Rs13 million, the city nazim termed it a leap forward and said that it would provide better eye care services to the poor patients of Balochistan and interior Sindh besides citizens of Karachi.
In his inaugural speech, Mustafa Kamal recalled his first surprise visit to the hospital four months back when he was shocked to witness that there was no staffer in the hospital except a nursing staff and there were no patients in the wards.
Thereafter, he appointed a new medical superintendent of the hospital and directed him to take all necessary steps to improve its services and boost its image as an excellence center.
He lauded the efforts of the new administration for taking effective measures to improve the services of the hospital and expressed hope that it would soon become a prestigious institute for provision of excellent eye care services in the country.
Mustafa Kamal said the city government did not believe in mere slogans, but a strong supporter of realism and pragmatism, hoping that the hospital’s staff would continue to work with the same zeal and commitment to gain respect and dignity.
“We want to serve the poor regardless of the fact whether they had voted us not,” he said. He said that he was not the representative of the 14 towns, but the nazim of the people of Karachi, adding that the city government was giving special attention to the development of backward areas, including Lyari, which were hitherto neglected.
On this occasion, Mustafa Kamal also announced free of charge lenses to the poor patients.
At the same time, he also announced that free service of corneal graft surgery, which ceased to function some years back, would be revived. The supply of cornea donations from Sri Lanka was stopped many years back, he said adding that after a series of negotiations the supply was restored. Now, he said, the handling charges and other expenses would be born by the city government. The facility would be made available to one patient every week, he added.He announced that a diabetic specialist would be available at the hospital round the clock and all facilities would also be provided free of cost to patients. “With the help of hospital’s dedicated team we would make it a model institution,” he remarked.
The chairman of city government health committee, Dr Waqar Kazmi, said that up to 95 per cent blindness due to diabetic retinopathy was treatable and avoidable by timely laser photocoagulation. He said that an OPD section for diabetic patients was also being established in the hospital to provide them diagnose facility.
Earlier, Spencer’s Eye Hospital Medical Superintendent Dr Mashood-uz-Zafar Farooq welcomed the chief guest, saying that all possible steps would be taken for the welfare of the patients as it was our duty to cater to the needs of the poor patients. He thanked the nazim for his support and said that gigantic task for upgrading the hospital could not be accomplished without his active support.
On the occasion, Naib Nazim Nasreen Jalil announced to provide an ambulance to the hospital. She appreciated the performance of the management in rehabilitation of the hospital and assured them of all possible help in solving their problems.
The ceremony was also attended by Provincial Minister for Housing and Town Planning Shoaib Bukhari and MPAs Muneer Sheikh and Aziz Bantwa.