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Tehsil Kotli Sattian, a amalgam of
lush green valley with natural rain forests, and hundred years of archaeological
segments of past civilizations and cultures. About five thousands feet from the
seas bed is located, near new-Murree, a picnic spot for elites families of
Pakistan with all modern living and five stars hotel.
Despite
from its geographical and natural beauty, the area is providing a defensive
shield for the most tangible assets of Pakistan at Kouatta. The people have
drawn unprecedented legacy of serving, and displayed a pivoting role in
Pakistan’s freedom moment and later defending its boarders. In response the
whole area of this martial race is under-served, unprivileged, neglected and
even depressed. The people are purposely deprived from the basic necessities and
have not prevalent to the taste of the modern life, even not permissible for
accessing common resources, neighboring the capital city of Islamabad. There are
many problems; one can appraise the agony of this rugged and harsher terrain
from a short tour to the area. In recent years, diabetes, blindness (Cataract),
heart diseases are commonly profound illnesses, almost majority of deaths
are observed as a caused of these common diseases. People are suffering from
poverty, diseases and ignorance and receiving minimal support from governments
and civil organizations. No initiatives of Non-Government Organizations (NGO)
have been seen working at any of the above projects. People are dying in younger
ages; women and children are more vulnerable than the men. The reason is; that
women stay in native area and are less mobile, than the men, where men generally
move to the cities for jobs and small businesses to earn a living. This has
clearly indicated that the rural indigenous areas are neglected parts of our
welfare systems.
We the people, who are to some extent
privileged or lucky among those, should realize our moral responsibilities and
duties, where our relatives are being victimized by the system. Stepping some
efforts in organizing welfare NGOs sponsored by foreign donations of the people
who haled from the region, can minimize this social injustice. The facts ushered
that if we join our hands; we could do lot better than government has done since
the inception of Pakistan.
I
have been living in Sydney, Australia, since 1995, the remoteness has never
circumvent me from realization and rendering limited support to my family,
relatives and area. It pondered me when a friend of mine had revealed the same
situation in his area and encouraged me to instigate the self-reliance for the
welfare of the community. Professor Muhammad Afzal of UAAR Rawalpindi, had
introduced me to Dr. Mr. and Mrs. Sajjad Haider of Manawar Memorial Hospital (MMH)
Chackwal. http://www.mf.sdnpk.org/
Devoid
of any hesitation, I had requested Dr. Sajjad Haider for extending MMH services
in Kotli Sattian, which he accepted at first call. MMH provides free
consultation and it facilities but needs some sponsorship of Lens called intraocular lens (IOL) and part of hospitalization expenses; where one surgery estimates,
four thousand rupees. My wife and I have sponsored few eye camps and 20
surgeries as an initiative package for our area, and are inviting you all to
work with us for this gracious cause, until we completely eradicate blindness
and cataract from our area.
As
a result on July the 4th 2003 the first mobile Eye camp was conducted by Dr.
Arif Hussian and his crew at Mallot Sattian and has consulted 132 patients
during the visit, which 14 were referred for surgery at MMH. They have
distributed medicines, Eye drops to the needy people. The first five were gone
through successful surgery and other are in process. “ I cannot express
adequately my sentiments in words, when my wife and I spoke to the patients on
the telephone after their surgery”, said Engr. Muhammad Manshad Satti the
initiator of this endeavor.
Immediately
after returning from this Eye-camp Dr. Arif has written the following note.
Assalmo Alikum,
It is really nice that we are coordinating this activity so well. Good
wishes from all sides are moral boosting for us. We will try to keep this level
up and maintain our standards as you experienced with all the community partners
like you. Many regards to you people who apart from living there feel the
problems of their society and want to do the needful. We are here in Chakwal for
the last four years and inshallah some of our oldies will forget the Alshifa /
Taxila!! It is their own hospital and we are committed to serve them with the
gift of Sight.Inshallah
Kind regards,
Arif Hussian MSC, DOMS, MBBS
Community Ophthalmologist
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