DUHS signs MoU for uplift of villagers of Sehwan Sharif

Dow University of Health Sciences signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Pehli Kiran, an NGO run by USA based Pakistanis, to provide free medical assistance and vocational training to villagers settled in and around Sehwan Sharif. This was announced by Vice Chancellor of Dow University of Health Sciences, Professor Masood Hameed Khan in a press conference here on Monday.
Other stakeholders of the scheme including Director of Hazrat Lal Shahbaz Qalandar Foundation and Custodian of Sehwan Sharif, Dr Syed Mehdi Raza and Ayaz Mehmood, a representative of the NGO were also present on the occasion. Professor Masood Hameed Khan said the university has signed the MoU to extend the much needed services in the villages of the province.
To a question about the choice of villages around Sehwan mainly Badu Jabal in Sehwan, he said these are the areas where NGO Pehli Kiran, founded by Pervaiz Lodhi, President of US firm LED tronics, has already its socio-economic development programme. "DUHS with the motive to further strengthen the scheme will not only hold medical camps on regular basis but also help in marketing of handicrafts prepared by the villagers," he said.
Syed Mehdi Raza appreciated the growing realisation among the countrymen as well as the Pakistanis settled abroad for co-ordinated efforts to improve the living conditions of the underprivileged people living below the poverty line. "The philanthropic programme for the socio-economic development of the villagers will be supported by all of us," he said. Appreciative of the Pehli Kiran initiative, he said under the scheme electrification of the villages has been done under a solar lighting system.
This, has not only improved the working capacity of the villagers but also holds direct bearing on their health, said the custodian of Sehwan Sharif. Responding to a query, Dr Masood Hameed Khan said the villagers were directly exposed to toxic fumes due to use of kerosene oil.
Representative of NGO Pehli Kiran said the environment friendly lamps has not only lightened the villages but also largely contained the incidents of fire causing loss of precious lives as well as property. "Villagers on an average basis are estimated to save Rs 1500 per month under the head of energy expenses," he said answering to another question.
Ayaz Mehmood said these solar lamps have also increased the working hours enabling villagers to generate more income. He said the US based Pakistanis were keen to support a programme aimed at improving the over all condition of the poorest of the poor in the country.
"Idea to develop a co-ordination with DUHS was the fact that the university has produced the best trained manpower besides providing high quality inexpensive treatment to the needy," he said. On the occasion the Vice Chancellor of DUHS said MDR TB patients are provided free diagnostic and treatment facilities and all sorts of diagnostic tests are done at a very low cost in the Dow laboratories.
He also mentioned that DUHS provides free artificial limbs to those who may get handicapped in accidents and that a Vocational Training Centre has also been started at the University's Ojha campus for empowerment of the less educated and needy citizens of the country.
The vice chancellor said the university has agreed to provide training to the interested inhabitants of the villages where Pehli Kiran has started its scheme of socio-economic development. Professor Masood Hameed Khan said such schemes will be supported in all villages of the province in co-ordination with interested stakeholders.