Australian High Commissioner inaugurates new hostel at the College of Ophthalmology

Lahore : Australian High Commissioner to Pakistan, Margaret Adamson and Najam Ahmad Shah secretary Specialized Health Care and Medical Education Punjab inaugurated new hostel at the College of Ophthalmology & Allied Vision Sciences, Mayo Hospital Lahore on 26^TH August, 2016. The hostel will house 250 ophthalmic students, mostly girls from remote areas of Pakistan.

Launching of school screening project at Hafizabad district was also  held on the same occasion.  Her Excellency, Margaret Adamson, Australian High Commissioner for Pakistan, Najam Ahmed Shah, The Secretary, Specialized Health Care & Medical Education, Govt. of Punjab, Health Department, Prof Asad Aslam Khan, National Coordinator Prevention & Control of Blindness Program Pakistan, Principal / DG COAVS and Dr. Amjad Shahzad, Medical Superintendent Mayo Hospital Lahore were present on the occasion.

Prof. Dr. Asad Aslam Khan informed that the hostel was a long desire of the students because 66 % of the students are female. Secondly many of girls students belong to remote areas of Punjab, GB and AJK, Kashmir and few African countries. Students had to travel on public and private transport to reach the college resulting in late arrival & insecurity.

The proposal of Rs 75 M for construction of the hostel was prepared and generously accepted by Fred Hollows Foundation (FHF) Australia. The project was managed to be completed in 6 months. Professor Asad Aslam Khan also appreciated the role of the Australian government and people of Australia through FHF for all the collaborative efforts in comprehensive eye care services. During the ceremony the project “Screening of School Children for the refractive errors in the district Hafizabad” with the support of FHF was also launched.

This screening project will  establish self-sustained model of school health care based on Refractive Error for school going children aged between 5 and 15 in district Hafizabad and will ultimately  improve  quality  of  life  and  education  capabilities  by  eliminating  blindness  and  visual disability particularly due to uncorrected refractive errors in school children. He also appreciated the efforts of the government of Punjab for patronizing the prevention of blindness activities of College, which is quite evident from the creation of posts of Allied Vision Sciences personnel at all levels of health care.

Najam Ahmad Shah, The Secretary, Specialized Health Care & Medical Education, Govt. of Punjab shared his experience of the visit to College of Ophthalmology and Allied Vision Sciences, its classes, the newly inaugurated hostel and clinical departments and appreciated the standard delivery of eye care services. He also appreciated long journey and dedication of two decades to bring about that marvelous revolution to the eye sector. He appreciated the efforts of Australian government in collaborative eye care services. He emphasized the replication of such examples as role models in all parts of Pakistan.

Her Excellency, Margaret Adamson, Australian High Commissioner for Pakistan expressed that the Australian Government’s continued support to the work of the Fred Hollows Foundation FHF in Pakistan reflects out strong belief that providing quality care for those effected by various forms of blindness is key to improving their economic and social opportunities. She expressed pleasure to be on the occasion and presented tributes to Prof Asad for its services. She expressed her feeling that the partnership has really made a difference and was Australian Govt is pleased to support Pakistan as partner and wished a wonderful future to the country.

Farooq Awan, Country Manager FHF Pakistan also expressed his views on the occasion and showed a video in which students residing in hostel expressed their views to reflect the need of hostel accommodation. Dr Amjad Shahzad, Medical Superintendent, Mayo Hospital, presented vote of thanks to the honorable guests.

The Pakistan Australia prevention of Avoidable Blindness (PAPAB) project, funded by the Australian Government is the fifth consecutive project by The Fred Hollows Foundation in Pakistan. The College of Ophthalmology & Allied Vision Sciences is premier training institute providing quality training to Allied ophthalmic Personnel in the country. More than 600 ophthalmic personnel have already graduated from COAVS and are serving in Public and private sector hospitals in Pakistan, playing pivotal role in eliminating avoidable blindness.