KARACHI, Chairperson Kolachi Social Viable Association (KSVA) Kiran Jamote has said a large number of people suffering from Hepatitis in Ibrahim Hyderi, Bin Qasim Town and its adjoining areas are being vaccinated by the teams of KSVA.
In a statement issued on Saturday, she said KSVA with the assistance of the Sindh government is vaccinating scores of Hepatitis patients in these area free of cost. Kiran said the 3rd phase of vaccination has been successfully completed. KSVA Chairperson said in these areas, 1200 patients were tested, out of which 700 were detected with Hepatitis C and 13 with Hepatitis B. She informed that 6000 patients including men, women and children have been vaccinated by KSVA so far. She claimed that a large number of patients are suffering from Hepatitis in the above mentioned areas but unfortunately there is no proper facility to diagnose the patients of these areas. Kiran Jamote said Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani has appreciated the efforts of KSVA for providing treatment to the Hepatitis patients.
KARACHI, Bait-ul-Sukoon hospital treats cancer patients irrespective of class stratification; the hospital caters for the medical needs of the people from every section of society besides it spreads awareness about preventive measures to avoid disease. Since its inception 7448 patients have received palliative as well curative treatment absolutely free of cost.
The hospital bears the complete treatment, boarding and lodging costs to facilitate the patients, this was stated by Dr. Jawaid Mallick, Consultant Oncologist, Bait Ul Sukoon Cancer treatment Hospital in the progress report for year 2009-10. Dr. Jawaid Mallick said that cancer patients and their families undergo a traumatic period of their lives, particularly when the only earning member of the family is afflicted or a mother with young children is diagnosed to be suffering from cancer. All patients are pathologically tested. Some undergo radiology and ultrasound diagnostic. Over 5214 patients received chemotherapy and more than 1,441 underwent radiotherapy. He said that admission policy at Bait-ul-Sukoon is purely on need basis. A deserving patient is treated without any bias; no community is given any preference over the other.
Renowned physician, psychologists, gastroenterologist and orthopedic and general surgeons form a team to help the patients fight their cancers with strength and dignity. The budget forecast for fiscal year 2010-11 is Rs.135 million. An appeal was made to philanthropists and general public to come forward and join hands in this noble cause by donating generously to help the deserving receive life saving treatment and lead their last years with less pain. The cost of treatment per patient is about Rs. 500,000 to 1,000,000. In 2009 Bait-ul-Sukoon Cancer Hospital and Hospice moved to its own purpose-built premises with 45 beds for in-patients and diagnostic facilities of mammography, ultrasound radiography, pathological laboratory and in house pharmacy offering a complete range of cancer treatment drugs. Awareness towards prevention of the disease is also imparted. Built on a 1,100 square yards plot in Block 3, K.C.H.S. Union Karachi near the Hill Park, the hospital is divided over three floors with a total built-up area of 23000 square ft.
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BY A CORRESPONDENT
5 August, 2005: Every year nearly 2 lakh children are born in India with congenital heart disease (CHD) adding to the existing millions suffering from the disease. Of these only 6 to 8 percent of them receive medical treatment. The rest either don’t get timely treatment or their parents simply cannot afford the cost of surgery and treatment, which is true in a majority of cases. Shockingly, in India each year about 121,000 cases of adult CHD cases reach the age of 15 years due to lack of health awareness, poverty and inadequate healthcare facilities. This startling revelation was given by Dr. Gopichand Mannam, the Managing Trustee of Hrudaya Foundation, a charitable trust that does free treatment for underprivileged children afflicted by congenital heart disease.
Dr. Gopichand reiterated the need for greater focus on this ever increasing and enormous disease burden and said, “Congenital heart disease is a growing and a neglected problem in India. Due to lack of facilities, money or awareness, CHD patients in India often live and die untreated. This is extremely ironical considering that all forms of CHD are completely treatable by surgery and medication, after which a child can look forward to a normal life. We need the community action to rid our country of the curse of Congenital Heart Disease.”
Dr. Nagarjuna Ponugoti, Managing Trustee of the US based ‘Cure A Little Heart Foundation’, the organization which helped Hrudaya’s fund mobilization in the United States, added, “Children are the future, and we don’t see what we do as charity. It is a necessity. If we don’t protect the children today, mankind will suffer tomorrow. The important thing is to act - and act now!”
Recently, Dr. Gopichand mobilized US $ 2,00,000, with promise for another $100,000 by the end of this year, from NRIs across the world to aid his treatment of CHD. Elaborating on the initiative he said, “Hrudaya Foundation, in collaboration with the US based Cure a Little Heart Foundation organized a charity dinner to fund free heart surgeries in India. To our delight, we mobilized the expected amount, which will go towards saving the lives of 200 to 250 children suffering from Congenital Heart Disease. This is real community participation and we can get rid of the disease only if socially conscious individuals and communities come together in this endeavour.” Support to the cause can come in various ways, and a case to point is the contribution of Pragati Printers, the leading printing house in the country, which designed & printed of the brochures for the Hrudaya’s recent fund mobilization drive.
Hrudaya regularly conducts free CHD screening camps and plans to take the screening camps to every part of India. Further, the charitable trust sponsors free surgeries for underprivileged children afflicted with the disease and bears all costs of surgery. In the last one year Dr. Gopichand has successfully conducted more than 400 free operations on poor children afflicted with CHD.
Hrudaya Foundation, a non-profit organization, has been established primarily to raise funds that will be used to provide treatment to poor children affected with congenital heart diseases. Hrudaya also strives to create awareness about congenital and acquired heart diseases among general masses and doctors. Leading industrialists, corporate heads, and doctors are its patrons. To know more on Hrudaya and its activities log on to www.hrudaya.org
Staff Report
ISLAMABAD: Capital Development Authority (CDA) is contemplating free medical treatment for breast cancer patients at the Capital Hospital, as the CDA chairman has directed the quarters concerned to mull over this matter as how to materialise it.
The speakers informed the audience at a symposium on Breast Cancer held at the Capital Hospital on Saturday that on the direction of CDA Chairman Imtiaz Inayat Elahi more than 200 breast cancer patients had been treated at the hospital’s Breast Clinic.
The experts were of the opinion that the deadly disease could be treated if it were diagnosed in early stage and with the best preventive measures.
They deplored the lethargic attitude of the authorities towards the health sector and demanded that the government give it priority in the budget allocation.
Renowned cancer specialists shed light on causes and prevention of breast cancer. At least 200 cases were discussed, which were operated upon at the Capital Hospital. The cancer specialists exchanged views on effective measures to prevent cancer.
Eminent Oncologist Dr Naeem Taj, Dr Tauqeer Ahmed and Dr Israr discussed different aspects of breast cancer. The Capital Hospital has established Breast Clinic, which is functioning in Department of General Surgery.
They said patients of breast cancer and other related diseases will be detected early and level of awareness about the disease could be improved through precautionary measures.
The CDA chairman has directed Capital Hospital’s Executive Director (ED) Hamid Zeb Khan to take measures for provision of free treatment to the patients of breast cancer at the clinic. The ED said he had assigned the task of cancer treatment to Dr Touqeer Ahmed, Head of the Department of General Surgery, who will supervise the clinic along with Dr Naeem Taj.
(DAILY TIMES, Sunday, June 13, 2010)
