RAWALPINDI: A chemotherapy unit has been established at the Al-Shifa Trust Children’s Eye Hospital to treat children suffering from various types of eye cancers. Other than this, German and Swiss laser machines have been acquired by the trust that will be used by doctors to perform corneal eye surgery.

Retired Maj Gen Rehmat, president of the trust, said this while talking to journalists, adding work is being done to continuously upgrade the hospital so people can receive the best possible care.

Establishment of the facility is another step towards treating all forms of eye cancers under one roof, he said, adding free-of-cost treatment was provided to two patients on the day of its inauguration.

He said the trust has helped people during the pandemic and over 100 doctors and paramedical staff contracted Covid-19 whereas some even passed away in the line of duty.

Almost 400,220 patients were served in the OPD, 55600 surgeries were performed and free treatment was provided to 80percent of the patients. He said two vaccination centres were established; one for administration of privately imported vaccines and the other for international phase III trials.

We accomplished targets in record time which was acknowledged by all stakeholders, he added.

Al-Shifa mobile vaccination teams carried out door-to-door vaccination and provided 20,000 doses to people in rural areas of Muzaffarabad, Sukkur, Kohat and Rawalpindi, he added.

In 2021, a new eye hospital was made operational in Chakwal where 500 OPD patients and 50 surgeries can be performed daily.

Modern imaging and exclusive radiation therapy will also soon be available for patients suffering from eye cancer, he said, adding the Cornea Department is the only one in the country to offer a wide range of laser-assisted corneal transplantation to patients on a regular basis.

Published in Dawn, January 23rd, 2022