PM inaugurates AJK’s first modern eye facility
MUZAFFARABAD, Oct 8 (APP): Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani on Saturday inaugurated a speciality eye hospital here, the first ever such medically advanced facility in Azad Kashmir.The Prime Minister unveiled the plaque of Al-Shifa Eye Trust-the largest hospital in the valley with a modern ophthalmology department, for the treatment of eye ailments.Gilani was accompanied by AJK Prime Minister Chaudhry Abdul Majeed and Federal Minister for Kashmir Affairs Mian Manzoor Wattoo.Turkish ambassador to Pakistan was also present.Near the Rara Camp overlooking the Neelum and Jhelum rivers, the hospital has been constructed with a cost of Rs 250 million.
It spans over 60 canal of land, provided free of cost by the AJK government.The facility is an outcome of financial assistance by philanthropists and donors of Al-Shifa Eye Trust.
The Prime Minister visited various sections of the hospital including operation theatre and the female ward.
He enquired about the health of the patients.Addressing at the inaugural ceremony, the Prime Minister said Al-Shifa Trust is playing a leading role as an non-governmental organization to assist the federal and provincial governments in prevention and control of blindness.
He said the government provides Rs. 100 million annually to Al-Shifa Trust and announced enhancement of this grant, to be used for the treatment of poor people.
He said about 1.8 million people of Pakistan are blind and about 5 million people have serious visual impairment problems.
 With the realization of health costs rising rapidly, he urged the donors to continue their financial support.
He expressed gratitude to the government of Japan for supporting Al-Shifa in procurement of modern equipment of surgery.
Gilani said the government had been proactively engaged in reviving educational and health facilities besides undertaking the rehabilitation of the earthquake affected persons in AJK.
He said despite resource constraints, the federal government had provided sufficient funds to ‘Build Back a Better’ Pakistan.
He added that he had been personally monitoring the progress of reconstruction process.President Al-Shifa Trust Eye Hospitals Lt. Gen ® Hamid Javed apprised the Prime Minister that the hospital can cater upto 1,000 patients, with convenience of 100 operations a day.   
He said the hospital will be soon uplinked with other Al-shifa hospitals through teleophthalmology link, two of which already connected.
He appreciated the generous help of federal government and also thanked the government of Japan for providing some vital equipment.
Dr Fazlur Rehman, who was the personal physician of Saudi King Khalid for 20 years and a major donor of this hospital, paid rich tributes to the founder of Al-Shifa trust Lt Gen (late) Jehandad Khan.
He urged philanthropists to donate generously for the hospital.Later, Prime Minister Gilani gave away souvenirs among the top donors.The hospital will serve 5 million people and will also set up eye camps in remote areas to refer serious cases to the hospital.
The hospital is the only specialty eye hospital in Azad Jammu and Kashmir,completed in two years.
The Prime Minister’s day-long visit is in connection with the sixth anniversary of the 7.6 magnitude massive earthquake in 2005 that hit Azad Kashmirkilling 73,000 people and rendering millions homeless.