- always nice to see celebs doing such noble things*
Abrar’s hospital all set to serve humanity
- Abrar says Sahara Trust to aim at both physical and spiritual health
- Educational projects next in line
By Waqar Gillani
LAHORE: Renowned singer and pioneer of Sahara for Life Trust (SLT) Abrar-ul-Haq, is all set to open the Sughra Shafi Hospital on Monday.
Named after Abrar’s parents Sughra and Shafi, the hospital has been constructed in his native town Narowal City, on Narowal-Muridke Road. The Punjab chief minister will open the 120-bed hospital, of about 30 staff members.
The chief executive of SLT Col (r) Syed Talmeez Abbas told Daily Times that the trust aims at reproductive health, Outdoor and Indoor patient departments, community health programmes, weekly clinics in remote areas, referral linkage and an emergency rescue help-line (115).
The OPD is equipped to handle patients of cardiology, dermatology, psychiatry and ophthalmology. It will later be expanded to include departments of emergency and trauma, the CE added. The hospital included a medical, surgical, paediatrics and gynae / obstetrics ward, an operating theatre, radiology, dialysis and a special burn unit.
The expansion of the hospital will be ensured later, with donations and funds. The ultimate aim of the trust was to establish and maintain maternity homes, emergency and trauma centres, and to provide free treatment and and medical aid to the under-privileged, the CE said.
Chairman of SLT Abrar-ul-Haq, told Daily Times that the first step towards this huge mission came from his parent’s encouragement. The initial target of Rs 300 million was achieved by the support of friends and schoolchildren who helped collect donations, hence making a dream into a reality. “In the beginning, people did not think that I could accomplish a project so big and difficult,” Abrar said.
“The allotment of land for the hospital was another hurdle. The former government did not accept my request for the donation of land. The money for the land then came from the numerous concerts that I organized especially for the purpose.” Abrar told Daily Times. When asked where the hospital’s inspiration came from, he said that he had been interested in community welfare since long but could not identify an appropriate project to do so. “On learning that a Pakistani
female dies every 20 minutes due to complications during child-birth, I suddenly knew where my positive energies could be channelised.” Thus the Sughra and Shafi Hospital, the first project of SLT was conceived. Mr Haq added that ‘health’ did not only mean physical fitness but spiritual well-being as well.“For spiritual enrichment, praying, reciting the Holy Quran and guidance from the Prophet (PBUH) works best for me,”he said.
Talking about his father’s character, Mr Haq said that he was a local landlord and a government servant who always helped his subordinate employees. “I always slept in my mother’s bed-room, and slept only after I was reassured that she was with me by her breathing,” he recalled. Federal Health Minister Muhammad Naseer Khan has assured SLT of his full support, both financially and morally. Sahara Trust has also asked the government to enlist the hospital in the mainstream of health facilities combating epidemics.
The chief executive of the hospital informed that SLT aimed to spread health facilities to remote areas of Pakistan and planned 20-30 bed hospitals in such areas. Our next target is to start an educational programme, in conformity with our real mission of “ reaching the un-reached, underprivileged, deprived and disadvantaged, who are un-served, under-served or at best inappropriately served in regard to health and education.”
link : http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=story_26-7-2003_pg7_15
