HealthCare

Medical Screening Camps for Orphans

The HAI-Pak takes extra pains to organize periodic medical-screening camps for the orphans it sponsors under Child Support Program. The most recent medical camps in this regard were held at different places AJK and KPK in which the services of general physician, ENT specialist, dental surgeon and clinical psychologist made available. The camp was also equipped with the mobile laboratory for on-spot screening of TB.

As many as 757 orphans were screened at these camps and those who needed medical treatment of any sort were provided with. The camps were also used as an opportunity to spread awareness about various diseases such as T.B, Polio and skin burning, etc.

Establishment of Primary Health Center

Since 2002, HAI has been running a primary health center at Mardan, KPK. It is a well equipped unit with facilities such as OPD, Gynecology and a laboratory. On average, 20,000 patients benefit from this facility on daily basis. Besides offering regular services, the hospital each month also arranges four free medical camps at select places in the province which benefits around 1500 patients.

Bringing smile back on the face of disabled persons

With almost non-existent support system, Pakistan was faced with a tremendous challenge of dealing with hundreds of its inhabitants who were rendered disabled in the earthquake 2005 and subsequent natural tragedies. Besides principally deciding to address this challenge on sustainable basis, HAI ensured to provide more than 350 wheel chairs to the deserving individuals at different places such as Muzaffarabad, Poonch, Bagh, (AJK), Rawalpindi, Islamabad, Chakwal, Attock (Punjab), Mardan, Manshera, Haripur, Abbottabad, Balakot, (NWFP).

Medical Camps

The HAI-Pak regularly organizes medical camps at various places to reach to the people who cannot afford adequate health facilities. At these camps, medical specialists examine and prescribe medicines to the patients which are provided to them free of cost. Recommended patients are also entitled to free medical services including diagnostic and surgery.

5-Day Free Eye Camp

"Over 1,000 Patients Treated"

The HAI-Pak held a 5-day free eye camp at Dhirkot (AJK) from Aug 19-23 which was visited by well over one thousand needy patients from adjoining areas. A total of 38 eye operations were conducted at the camp by highly qualified and renowned professionals.

The eye sight of all the patients operated upon was restored at the camp while others were provided with routine checkup services. "This is truly amazing. Everyone we have operated upon has regained his/her vision and all set to start a normal life in a matter of few weeks", said Dr. Snaullah who led a team of doctors at the camp.

While talking about the success of the camp, the Country Director HAI-Pak Nisar Ahmad on the occasion held that "all the operations conducted were free of cost and visitors were provided with free medical care and counseling. Moreover, glasses were also provided to well over 100 patients". He disclosed that many more such camps would be held at different places in AJK and elsewhere in coming days.

Eyesight weakening in school children: Immediate intervention stressed

During the camp it was also discovered that eyesight weakening is a very common yet unrecognized issue in school children at Dhirkot and elsewhere in AJK. In just one case, 38 of 50 students studying at a local school were diagnosed with eyesight weakening problem, requiring an immediate intervention. Some of them even required advance treatment in view of the gravity of their problem.

"We are really thunderstruck to see this all. The situation is so terrible and appalling, we could never have thought so", lamented Dr. Snaullah before adding that the government needs to launch a especial campaign at educational institutes to address the issue on war footing.

Life style, especially gluing to TV sets for longer hours and excessive use of electronic devices are usually among the most common causes behind eyesight weakening issue in school going children but there must be some other factors in play in the context of the prevalence of the problem in AJK, Dr. Snaullah further pointed out.

The HAI-Pak plans to highlight this issue through various awareness programs and medical camps. It strongly believes that the complacency on this issue can never be allowed as it involves the future of our young generation.

When she regained eye-sight after 12 long years!

Ayesha was just 4 years old when a tragedy befell upon her and she lost her eyesight, almost completely. Once the cynosure of all, she immediately became the biggest worry for her parents. Many advised them to withdraw her from the nearby public school to concentrate on manual work alone. To them her 'time' was up.

Coming from Dhirkot, AJK, Ayesha, however, had different plans in her mind. She took a firm stance to continue her education and fight every odd. Concentrating more on her listening than visual faculties, she kept clearing grades after grades with flying colors. However, deep down her heart, she longed badly for the restoration of her eyesight.

"Your eyesight shall be restored fully", sounded like music to her ears. She had waited for this moment for more than 12 years. After closely examining her damaged eye-sight at a free eye camp, arranged by the HAI-Pak, the doctors believed her prospects were quite good.

"The surgery is finally over and we hope that your eye-sight is restored, completely", the doctors pronounced. For a while, she felt like screaming but she had to wait for few more days to remove the bandage from her eyes and test the veracity of the claims of the doctors.

"I can never forget the moment when I found myself in a totally different world once again after removing the bandage from my eyes. The world looked so beautiful, clear and mesmerizing that I rubbed my eyes in disbelief", said Ayesah with a bewitching smile on her face.

After regaining her eye-sight, Ayesha is now living a truly normal life and she feels pumped up with new hope, yearning and determination to complete her education and dedicate herself to the service of the humanity. "The HAI-Pak has not only helped me regain my eyesight but it has also infused me with infinite motivation to help the needy ones. I have decided to dedicate my life to social service once I complete my education. Thank you HAI-Pak for all this".

Click on plus sign to view the medical camps arranged (2009-16)


Year Project Title Purpose and Location Cost(PKR)
2005
Emergency Camp Hospital Established an Emergency Camp Hospital to provide healthcare facilities to the Earthquake affected families at Mansehra. As many as 150 surgeries were performed during the two months period of this project. 900,000
2006
Emergency Medical Camps Set up 4 Emergency Medical Camps manned by 12 doctors to provide healthcare services to 3,000 earthquake affectees at Muzaffarabad, Bagh and Mansehra. 350,000
2008
Medical Support and Equipment Provided medical support and equipments to earthquake affectees and needy people in AJK. 210,128
2008
Free Medical Camps Organized free medical camps at Bagh and Mansehra for over 300 people. 571,553
2008
Support for Disables Provided healthcare support to disabled people at Mansehra. 649,437
2009
Health Clinic Set up a health clinic for the needy and deserving people in AJK. 986,150
2010
Free Eye Camp Organized an eye camp for over 300 deserving people AJK. 41,846
2010
Free Medical Camp Organized a free medical camp for over 500 deserving people at Bagh.. 129,600
2011
Medical Camp Set up a medical camp for over 300 people at Rahim Yar Khan. 360,000
2012
Health Facility Renovation Renovated 2 hospitals in district Thatta, Sind, with the help from an international organization AmeriCares. 2,300,000
2014
Free Eye Camp Organized an eye camp, conducted free cataract operations for the deserving individuals. 2,000,000
2015
Free Eye Camp Organized free eye camp and free cataract operations for the deserving individuals. 25000
2015
Hepatitis/HIV/AIDS Screening Organized screening camps to help identify Hepatitis/HIV/AIDS patient, besides providing sterilization kits to 600 barbers in district Muzaffarabad, AJK. 3,100,000



Taking barbers on board in fight against hepatitis and HIV

Certificate distribution to workshop participants

Hepatitis has gradually emerged as a major health issue in Pakistan as each year thousands of people fall prey to it. Barbers and beauticians are arguably the most common source of the spread of this monster, though they are seldom taken on board while planning and executing a plan to reverse things.

This was re-emphasized by speakers at the certificate distribution ceremony in honor of over six hundred barbers and beauticians who participated in a 15-day workshop at Muzaffarabad, Azad Kashmir. The workshop was jointly organized by Human Appeal International, Pakistan (HAI-Pak) and the University of AJ&K to sensitize the participants that any aberration from standard health practices on their part may result in to the death of an innocent person.

While speaking on the occasion, Dr. Manzoor Khawaja, VC AJK University, widely appreciated HAI-Pak for the initiative and reassured it full support and cooperation to create awareness on the issue at every available forum. He also disclosed that the project was huge appreciated when he recently shared the outcomes of it at a literary forum in the US and many representatives of educational institutes showed great interest in replicating the model at their respective places.

Additional Chief Secretary AJK, Dr. Syed Asif Shah lamented that hepatitis prevention and control programs seldom took barbers and beauticians as stakeholders and hence badly failed to achieve their targets. He impressed upon educational institutes and universities to focus on applied research and benefit from the experience and support of organizations, such as HAI-Pak, to benefit people at gross roots level.

Those who spoke on the occasion included Secretary Industries Bashir Mughal, Project Director CDP Javid Ayub, Director Health Services Dr. Manzoor, Director Social Welfare Sarfraz Abbasi, Director Implementation Cell Syed Saleem Gardezi, Country Director HAI-Pak Nisar Ahmad, Head of Zoology Department AJK University Dr. Nuzat Shafi, Dr. Abdul Rauf, President of Barber Association Shabir Shaikh and others.

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Allocation of seats at AJ&K University

Dr. Manzoor Khawaja on the occasion also disclosed to reserve one seat for the children of skilled class at each department of the University of AJ&K. He was prompted to take the decision to facilitate such children who hardly get an opportunity to obtain higher education under prevailing circumstances.

It needs to be recalled here that the university hosts 25 departments at the moment and is set to be the first one to take such a bold and sagacious decision for the benefit of the down trodden class of the society.

Findings of a joint study on hepatitis and HIV

Findings of a joint study, conducted by HAI-Pak and AJ&K University, on hepatitis and HIV in Azad Kashmir were also shared with the audience on the occasion. Led by Prof. Dr. Abdul Rauf, the study has come up with eye-opening findings on the issue, asking for immediate actions to redress the situation.

Some of the findings of the study include:

  • Around 0.5 million (10 % of total population) people suffer from hepatitis in AJ&K which must be taken as a serious threat to health system at place
  • Annual health budget of AJ&K is just around Rs. 350m which clearly speaks of the fact that health system in the area is under stain at the moment
  • Official sources have confirmed existence of around 200 HIV positive cases in AJ& which again ask for an immediate and well measured response
  • Barbers, beauticians, expatriates, and unscrupulous medical practitioners are among the chief transmitters of the disease