Al-Shifa Trust (AST) Eye Hospital has requested a partnership with Qatar Charity to provide free eye treatments for patients from Somalia. The agreement intends to support a planned research and eye care facility in Lahore and broaden international medical training opportunities.
A four-day networking visit to Doha was conducted by an AST delegation led by President Maj. Gen. (Retd) Rehmat Khan. During the trip, the group explored ways to revive the Trust’s Gulf Chapter in Qatar.
Maj. (Retd) Khan met with Jassim Mohammed Al-Sumaiti to discuss the cooperation. Under the proposed arrangement, Qatar Charity would pay the full cost of treatment for Somali patients.
Khan proposed a 50-50 cost-sharing model for patients arriving from Qatar. Talks also included a potential nurse exchange programme and specialised training for doctors.
Representatives from Qatar Charity indicated they might visit Pakistan in November. The delegation also met with representatives of Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar.
Rising inflation and the depreciation of the rupee have increased the price of hospital operations and imported medical equipment.
