First-ever eye bank opens in Pakistan

Al Shifa Trust inaugurates state-of-the-art facility for cornea transplant and research in Rawalpindi

The Al Shifa Trust inaugurated the country's first eye bank in Rawalpindi on Wednesday, Express News reported.

"We have joined hands to bring the citizens an international non-governmental organisation to collect corneal donations within the country," General (retd) Hamid Javed, the head of trust, said while speaking on the occasion.

"The facilities are top notch here and up to international standards," he said, adding, "With the latest equipment the doctors will be able to safely retrieve and store cornea for transplants and conduct research."

Javed went on to say that over 80 eye transplant operations take place at the hospital every month. "The eye bank will serve as a catalyst for more transplants in the country as well."



On June 12, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) medial transplant regulator cleared four ophthalmology departments to conduct corneal transplants in the province.

This decision was taken in a meeting of the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Medical Transplantation Regulatory Authority (MTRA) in Peshawar. The authority reviewed applications by different health institutions, seeking permission to conduct the transplants.