RAWALPINDI-Federal Minister for Labour and Manpower Syed Khurshid Ahmed Shah Friday inaugurated the Light House a new facility at Al-Shifa Trust Eye Hospital. Later addressing the inaugural ceremony as chief guest, the Federal Minister said that the Light House was indeed a gift to the society especially for the people who were totally blind or who had partial visual impairment. He acknowledged the services of Al-Shifa Trust in the field of eye care saying Al-Shifa was doing a wonderful job in curing eye patients from across the world. He emphasised the need of public private partnership terming it vital for health sector. Giving details about 'Light House, President Al-Shifa Trust Eye Hospital, Lt Gen (R) Jahan Dad Khan said that the concept of Light House was new in Pakistan and Al-Shifa Trust had the privilege to introduce this new facility in Pakistan for the visually impaired people. He informed that the 'Light House was equipped with latest state of the art eye care equipment and was a centre where patients with the partial or complete visual impairment would get highly sophisticated and advanced treatment. The patients with complete vision loss would get counselling service and would be provided training to live their life easily, he added. Gen Jahan Dad also acknowledged the contribution of Universal Service Fund (USF) which provided Rs 25 million for the establishment of the Light House. Gen Jahan Dad Khan also announced that the Al-Shifa Trust Eye hospital Muzaffarabad would be operational by the end of 2009. Meanwhile, Vice-President Al-Shifa Trust Saeed Ahmed Qureshi shared the financial position of Al-Shifa Trust. He said that Al-Shifa Trust in order to become financially self-reliant, would establish 18 storey commercial towers. At the cost of Rs 4 billion, the commercial towers would be a permanent source of income for the hospital and help Al-Shifa Trust in providing uninterrupted eye care service to the poor and destitute people, he added. Prof Dr Wajid Ali Khan chief consultant Al-Shifa trust eye hospital gave details of the eye care services rendered to the masses by Al-Shifa trust eye hospital Rawalpindi, Sukkur and Kohat. A large number of trustees and donors attended the function and on the occasion a group of donors especially Dr Fazal ur Rehaman, Haji Sabir and Ijaz Kashmiri presented cheques of their respective donations to Al-Shifa Trust. The chief guest also gave a round to the different facilities and departments of Al-Shifa Trust. He also distributed the certificate of excellence to the staff and donors of the Trust.\\