The Social Action Programme in the Health Sector

Free Eye Camps

In an underprivileged area where life is a constant struggle for the people owing to very low income levels, their plight is compounded several times over if their eyesight is poor or almost non-existent. In such areas there is often only one earning member in the household and the inability of this person to see is a critical setback.

Recognizing that sight is the greatest gift one can give to others, HUBCO has been organizing free eye camps twice a year for several years in its surrounding areas. Each camp is spread over 2 or 3 days and is conducted on HUBCO's behalf by specialist eye doctors and surgeons. On average during each camp over 1200 out-patients are treated and well over a hundred surgeries are performed for removal of cataract and implantation of Intra Ocular Lenses. These patients are also provided the needed medicines free of cost.

To ensure that patients, especially from far flung areas, are able to take full advantage of the free eye camps, HUBCO also arranges for transport to go around the villages, ferrying people to the eye camp and back to their homes.

A few weeks after the holding of an eye camp, an OPD is held to check on the progress of the patients who had been operated upon earlier. It is noteworthy that all such post-operative OPDs have given an over ninety nine percent satisfactory result.

Distribution of free medicines

HUBCO also regularly undertakes distribution of free medicines in large quantities in the hospitals and dispensaries of Gadani and surrounding areas. For this purpose the requirements are sought from the recipient institutions and a quantity much more than the demand is delivered to ensure that no shortage occurs for any reason. Many of these medicines are life-saving medicines that are otherwise not available to, or not affordable by the local people.

Separate from the above, HUBCO has also at times provided Hepatitis B vaccine for the local people. Arrangement of vaccination for Hepatitis B was also made through IPGD Mobile Medical Units and through the local hospitals and dispensaries.

Mobile Medical Units

Mobile Medical Units of IPGD are working round the year in 25 villages and offering free medical facilities to more than 3,000 people. Of special importance are the Lady Health Visitors, as local traditions preclude the examination and treatment of local womenfolk by male medical practitioners. Thus for many local women the Lady Health Visitors provide the only medical care they receive, especially in maternal and child care.

The Mobile Medical Units also carry out health awareness and education in the villages visited, emphasizing hygiene and other measures the people can take themselves as preventive medical care.

Donation of Laser Photo Coagulator

A very major contribution in the health sector by HUBCO has been the donation by HUBCO of a Laser Photo Coagulator to the Layton Rehmatula Benevolent Trust (LRBT) Eye Hospital in Quetta.

This high-tech machine costing around Rupees 2.3 million is an incomparable gift for the people of Balochistan who till now had to travel to Karachi or Lahore for treatment. Such treatment in a private hospital using laser technology costs the patient up to Rupees forty thousand, in addition to the money and effort spent in traveling to Karachi or Lahore. Now the treatment is carried out free and the hassle of traveling a long distance has been eliminated. Nearly a thousand patients had already been treated using the donated machine in the first couple of years.