KARACHl: President Arif Alvi recently visited to the LRBT (Layton Rahmatullah Benevolent Trust) Teniary Teaching hospital in Korangi where he stressed the need for a strong culture of voluntary blood donation in the country with equal attention towards cadaveric organ donation. Najmus Saqib Hameed, Prof Fawad Rizvi and Umer Ghafoor briefed him about the working of the trust. Member of the National Assembly Aftab Siddiqui and Member of the Sindh Assembly Shehzad Qureshi were also present on the occasion.
Talking to the media during his visit, he said that organ donation, be it cornea, kidney or liver, was a charity in itself.
Dr Alvi emphasised reiterating that the relevance of blood donation also could not be ignored which ironically was rarely given due importance in society.
“It saves lives! It is definitely no mean feat that the LRBT through its chain of centres, scattered across the country, is catering [to] a major chunk of the patients in need of eye care,” President Alvi said.
Dr Alvi said that such facilities and the people associated with them were role models, who must be duly projected so as to be a source of inspiration for society in general.
While referring to surgeries, treatment of eye-related injuries, he said, “It is heartening to see that these people, pertaining to different age groups are provided free of cost services and assistance.”
The president also reiterated the need to raise public awareness about prevention of eye conditions and diseases that might also cause visual impairment. He appreciated the technology and specialised equipment available for the treatment of poor patients.
President Alvi was informed that the LRBT had been operational since 1985 with the mission that ‘No man, woman or child should go blind’. With the very objective it was said to run a network of 77 facilities countrywide, comprising 19 hospitals and 58 eye centres.
Dr Muattar Hanif
The author is Editor at Dental News Pakistan and can be reached at newsdesk@medicalnewsgroup.com.pk
