KARACHI: Hashmanis Medical & Welfare Foundation (HMWF) in collaboration with World Memon Organisation (WMO) has joined hands with Sri Lanka Eye Donation Society to receive 200 corneas every year for needy patients here in Pakistan.
These corneas will be transplanted to the needy patients, anywhere in Pakistan, irrespective of gender and caste. This surgery normally costs around Rs,2,00,000/-, however with this initiative underprivileged patients can now restore their vision free of cost and have a chance of perfectly normal life.
This was announced by Chairman Hashmanis Medical & Welfare Foundation renowned eye surgeon Dr. Sharif Hashmani at press briefing held at Hashmanis hospital here in Karachi. CEO Hashmanis group of hospitals Arsalan Hashmani was also present on this occasion.
So far, we have performed six cornea replacement surgeries with more to come and all have turned out successful by the grace of Almighty Allah. Needless to say, the expenses of our patients were fully covered through this foundation, he told.
The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. Our incredible journey also began with our first step in the late 70s, when Hashmanis hospital was established. The very name symbolizes pioneering vision and a standard of care, he reminded.
Dr. Sharif Hashmani informed that with the state of the art instruments and latest technology, we have successfully performed numerous surgeries that are done nowhere else in Pakistan. The Hospital is also credited with introducing several new technologies and procedures to Pakistan such as Phaco, Lasik, Femto Lasik, Femto Cataract, Phakic IOL, etc.
Hashmanis medical and welfare foundation has been providing charity eye & medical care services since 1979. Our mission is to bring healthcare of international standards within the reach of every individual. We are committed to the achievement and maintenance of excellence in education, research and healthcare for the benefit of humanity, he further said.
We are committed to the overall well-being of society. We believe that healthcare is simply not about diagnosing or treating an individual but it is about helping people to lead a wholesome and healthy life.
Sharing foundation achievements, Dr. Sharif Hashmani informed that thousands of free eye and medical camps organized every year across Pakistan. Over one million surgeries are done until to date. Over 6,00,000 eye sight glasses are distributed. Over seven million patients are diagnosed and treated free of cost. HMWF is the first welfare organization to introduce phaco in eye camps in 1995 and to implant IOLs Hashmanis is first and currently the only eye hospital to provide refractive surgeries (Lasik) free of cost.
HMWF is managing five hospitals in Karachi i.e. Sadder, Clifton, Johar, North Karachi and Ranchore Line beside one primary health centre in Ocean Mall. Foundation has established two more hospitals in partnership with Lakson Medical Trust in Swabi, KPK and Sahiwal, Punjab, Chairman HMWF told.
At present, thousands of patients are treated free of cost by the foundation and over 6000 surgeries are performed yearly in these hospitals free of cost or at subsidized rates.
Breakdown of surgical procedure is eye – refractive (Lasik) 1500, cataract 7,00,000, extra ocular 1,00,000, minor procedures 5,00,000 while numbers of general surgeries are 7,000, gynaecological surgeries 8500, medical & diagnostic management of 15,000 patients.
Dr. Sharif Hashmani further said that foundation also sponsors hundreds of patients monthly for medical checkups and surgeries at the Hashmanis tertiary care hospital in sadder, Karachi where we operate one 75 bedded tertiary care general hospital. In this hospital hundred of patients are provided with free medical services in over 25 specialties. These free services are; gynaecology, paediatrics, orthopedic, general surgery, orthopedics, diagnostic services, pediatrics, dental surgery, icu/nicu, ventilation, ent, laboratory and other allied specialties, he added.
Foundation is also focusing on teaching and trainings, research and development, core research, prodigy research scholarships and have representation of foundation at international forums.
About future plans, he shared that their college of optometry have the following specialties;
optometrist, orthoptist, medical technologist, ophthalmic technologist whereas Institute of Ophthalmology will have Ms in ophthalmology, diploma in ophthalmology and fellowship in ophthalmology.
We are also going to open eye hospital in Thatta soon while renovation and extension of Ranchore line, Gulistan-e-johar and North Karachi hospital will start soon.
Dr. Sharif Hashmani said that the foundation runs mostly on Zakat and donations that is regularly contributed by philanthropists from different walks of life. Though the pool is small the foundation is working to attract more philanthropists towards these great causes.
Just one IOL surgery will cost Rs.10,000/- and 400 cases are being done in any single month taking cost to four million rupees.
VR surgery costs Rs.150,000 for one patient and we are doing 60 patients a month taking cost to three million.
Foundation is in need of financial support and donations to purchase more equipment and arrange resources and, sponsorship for medical support for non-Muslim. These required equipments include MRI machine, CT Scan, Microscopes, Phaco Machines (Thatta & Ranchoreline), Slit Lamp, corneal topography, OCT, Vitreo Retina Machine, Ultra Sound Machine (Color Doppler), A & B Scan, Yag Laser, Argon etc which will cost in millions of rupees.
Every one of us can contribute to this cause and ones small contribution can change the life of many, Dr. Sharif Hashmanis concluded. News Desk
