Global Vision Aid Launch

AMWT launches ‘Global Vision Aid’ for blindness

October 30, 2013

LAHORE (PR) - Al Mustafa Welfare Trust (AMWT), a worldwide charity organisation based in UK, has launched ‘Global Vision Aid’ (GVA) project for blindness. During this campaign AMWT would arrange free eye screening facilities and operate cataract surgeries through eye camps, eye clinics and medical centers. This campaign has launched from Pakistan and later it would be introduced in Asia, Africa and Middle East countries.

Chairman Al Mustafa Abdul Razzaq Sajid said in a statement that Trust would operate 10,000 cataract surgeries and screening 100,000 eye patients in next year. He said under Global Vision Aid free eye camps are being organized in backward and far-flung areas of Pakistan.

He further said that recently Trust has organised free eye camps in Kallar Syedan district Rawalpindi, Khanewal, Jhelum, Lahore, Muzaffargarh, Rajanpur, Shorkot and different parts of Kashmir. A ten-day free eye camp would continue from October 25 to November 3 at Basic Health Centre Chak 14 of district Chiniot where more than 400 cataract surgeries would be conducted. This eye camp campaign would continue from October to December 2013.

Sajid said that according to a world estimate visually impaired people were 285 million, of whom 39 million are blinds. The major reasons of blindness are damage of retina caused by complications of diabetes, age-related muscular degeneration (AMD), a medical condition which usually affects older adults and results in loss of vision. Corneal opacities, a serious vision problem and cataract, clouding of lens inside the eye, are most common causes of blindness, conventionally treated by surgery. Glaucoma was another serious threat in which the optic nerve was damaged in a characteristics pattern. It was also called silent thief of sight because loss of vision often occurs gradually over a long period of time. Once a lost vision could not normally be recovered, he added. So treatment was aimed at preventing further loss. Trachoma, he said, also called granular conjunctivitis leading cause of infectious blindness in the world, he concluded. 

Free Eye Camp For The Flood Victims of Kot Adu, District Muzafargur

Kot Addu is a deprived area of district Muzaffargarh  in the Punjab, Pakistan. The area was on the front hit of floods in 2010. The flood has washed away the major part of the Kot Adu and left the inhabitants in huge despair. The flood water had destroyed the infrastructure such as roads, schools, hospitals and private properties. The masses have lost their crops and cattle as the 90% of the residents depend on the livestock and seasonal crops. AMWT had set up relief camps for the flood victims in the area for months after the flood. These camps had provided free accommodation and food including medicines and temporary education for children. AMWT has also rehabilitated 100 houses and installed various water pupms and tube wells for flood victims in Kota du.

Though there have been various developments but situation is still vulnerable after two years of floods. People have no jobs and lack of access to reasonable health facilities.

AMWT has arranged free eye camp in Kot Addu targeting 100 blind people in the flood hit areas of Kot Adu . The camp was organised at Tehsil headquarters Hospital Kot Addu on February 25 to 26- 2012. Member Provincial Assembly of the Punjab, Ahmed Yar Hinjra, inaugurated the eye camp. A medical team of 5 highly qualified surgeons and 10 eye technicians had provided free check up facilities to patients. They operated 100 cataract surgeries and provided screening facilities to over 2000 patients during two days camp.

The majority of patients have bilateral mature and hyper mature cataract that were unable to see for last many years. Many patients like Nisar Ahmad (aged 70) has been operated who were able to see through only one eye due to with mature cataract. Alhamdulillah after operation, they were able to see the world full of colours with their own eyes. All visitors to the camps appreciated the activities of Al Mustafa for the area.

AMWT is grateful to all of its donors and sister organizations for their generous support.

 
Tajammual Latif