LAHORE - A special unit has been set up for the treatment of paediatrics ophthalmology and retinal disorder in Opthelmology Department at the Lahore General Hospital established with the cooperation of Fred Hollows Foundation, Australia, for which Foundation has donated equipments worth 20 million.
Advisor to CM on Health Kh Salman Rafiq inaugurated the new unit on Wednesday. Consular for Development Cooperation of Australian High Commissioner Islamabad Gregelis, Principal PGMI/LGH Prof Anjum Habib Vohra, National Coordinator for Ophthalmology & Principal Institute of Ophthalmology Mayo Hospital Prof Asad Aslam, Country Manager Hollows Foundation Dr Rubina Gilani, Additional Secretary Health (Development) Ghulam Farid, Prof Nadeem Riaz Incharge Ophthalmology Department, Prof Naeem, Prof Ghias-un-Nabi Tayyab, MS Dr. Amjad Shahzad and other doctors attended the inaugural function.
Prof Asad Aslam told that at present 15 lakh people are blind in Pakistan, out of which eight lakh belong to Punjab. He said that 80 percent eye diseases are curable but due to negligence, delay in diagnosis and lack of awareness, this disease becomes permanent. He Aslam told that Fred Hollows Foundation besides upgrading Ophthalmology departments of all districts headquarters hospitals of the province is also cooperating in imparting training to manpower. He said that this Foundation has taken the responsibility of providing treatment facilities and eradication of this disease. He said that this facility has been provided in six teaching hospitals of the province including Mayo Hospital and Lahore General Hospital. Consular for Development Cooperation of Australia Gregelis also addressed the function and assured to continue cooperation in health sector in future as well.  Kh Salman Rafique said that Punjab Chief Minister Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif is endeavoring for providing best treatment facilities to the people of the province and highly values the services of those institutions and organizations extending cooperation in this regard.
He appreciated the humanitarian spirit of the people and government of Australia for extending invaluable cooperation by Fred Hollows Foundation for the treatment and eradication of ophthalmology and expressed the hope that latest treatment facilities for the eye diseases in the children would be available due to the establishment of this new ward.