Islamabad, March 5 (APP): In a significant humanitarian effort, an eight-member dedicated medical team from COMSTECH (the OIC Ministerial Standing Committee on Scientific and Technological Cooperation) and Al-Shifa Trust has accomplished more than 200 free cataract surgeries at Dalmar Hospital in Mogadishu, Somalia. The initiative, led by Coordinator General COMSTECH, Prof. Dr. M. Iqbal Choudhary, aims to provide essential eye care services to the people of Somalia.
The Al-Shifa team not only executed surgeries but also imparted valuable training to doctors at Dalmar Hospital, enhancing their expertise in cataract surgeries. This collaborative effort is part of a ten-day-long camp from March 01-10, during which the medical team is committed to performing over 400 cataract surgeries, significantly impacting the lives of hundreds in Somalia by restoring vision.
The free cataract eye surgery camp was announced by COMSTECH in partnership with Al-Shifa Trust Eye Hospital, Rawalpindi, under the guidance of Prof. Dr. M. Iqbal Choudhary. Al-NUR Foundation and Benadir University, Mogadishu, played a crucial role in providing hospital facilities for the camp.
The medical team, comprising eight members, including four ophthalmologists and two OT technicians from Al-Shifa Trust Eye Hospital, a PhD Pharmacist, and a coordinator from COMSTECH, traveled from Pakistan to execute this humanitarian mission. Prof. Dr. M. Iqbal Choudhary expressed his gratitude to Major General (Retd.) Rehmat Khan, the Chairman of Al-Shifa Trust, for his instrumental leadership in organizing the free surgical camp.
The generous financial and technical contributions from Al-Shifa Trust have enabled COMSTECH to extend its services, delivering much-needed eye care and surgeries to the people of Mogadishu. This collaborative effort is anticipated to have a substantial positive impact on the lives of the Somali population.
The organizations involved aim not only to restore vision but also to bring hope and dignity to those in need. All essential medicines, intraocular lenses, and surgical consumables accompanied the medical team to Somalia. A No Objection Certificate (NoC) was obtained from the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) for the export of these items as donations to the Somali people. The Embassy of Somalia in Pakistan played a pivotal role in expediting the visa process for the medical team, supporting the seamless execution of this humanitarian initiative.
