LAHORE: Inaugurating the Dr Maqbool Ahmed Eye Bank at the College of Ophthalmology and Allied Health Vision Sciences of Mayo Hospital Lahore, Provincial Health Minister Khawaja Salman Rafique said that this state-of-the-art Eye Bank is an important step towards fulfilling the vision of the Chief Minister Punjab, to promote legal human organ transplantation and especially corneal transplantation in the province.
The Eye Bank at Mayo Hospital Lahore started with a small corneal bank in 2004 that could only store corneas from the US and Sri Lanka. The Institute of Ophthalmology has performed 437 corneal transplants since 2018.
Dr Maqbool Ahmed Eye Bank will help in establishing a systematic system of local retrieval, processing, storage and distribution of corneas in the country. According to an estimate, 300 to 500 corneas can be obtained annually from Mayo Hospital alone through organized efforts.
On this occasion, an awareness seminar was also organized on the importance of eye banks.
The vice-chancellor King Edward Medical University Professor Mahmood Ayaz, Provincial Coordinator for Prevention of Blindness Punjab and Professor Emeritus Professor Dr Asad Aslam Khan, Principal College of Ophthalmology and Allied Vision Sciences (COAVS) Professor Dr Muhammad Moin, Director General Punjab Human Organ Transplantation Authority Professor Amir Zaman Khan, Professor Sultan, CEO Mayo Hospital Professor Haroon Hamid, MS Mayo Hospital Dr. Abdul Mudabar Rehan and other faculty members were present. Vice President Global Development Eversight America Colin Ross and Chair and Professor Department of Ophthalmology University of Michigan Kellogg Eye Centre Professor Shahzad Mian were present.
Dr Maqbool Ahmed Eye Bank has been established under a remarkable Public Private Partnership (PPP). Dr Maqbool Ahmed, a former graduate of King Edward Medical University and based in the US, has provided Rs 75 million for infrastructure development, equipment, furniture, IT equipment, vehicle and training of a medical director for the establishment of the Eye Bank.
Provincial Minister Khawaja Salman Rafique also visited the awareness stall set up by PHOTA.
Addressing the participants of the awareness seminar, Salman said before this Eye bank, Pakistan had no system for storing, processing and retrieving corneas for the public. The Punjab government, under the leadership of Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif, initiated safe, ethical and legal organ transplantation, he said, adding, “The Maqbool Ahmed Eye Bank will be a milestone in achieving this goal. The completion of this project has been ensured under an agreement between Dr Maqbool Ahmed and the Eye Bank.” The corneas received from this eye bank will be transplanted at the College of Ophthalmology by PHOTA approved surgeons. The Punjab government is committed to ensuring better eye care, he said, adding: “Under the Chief Minister’s Cornea Transplant Programme, the facility of corneal transplantation is being provided to the people of Punjab absolutely free of cost. The Punjab government is also expanding the scope of Pediatric Ophthalmology Departments in government hospitals.”
The vice-chancellor King Edward Medical University, Professor Dr Mahmood Ayaz, said on this occasion that King Edward Medical University is proud to host and facilitate this important project. This donation by Dr Maqbool Ahmed, who is one of our alumni, is a great example. This eye bank will start a new chapter in the provision of quality medical services. Principal COAVS, Professor Dr Muhammad Moin paid tribute to all the philanthropists who participated in this noble cause.
Provincial Coordinator Prof Dr Asad Aslam Khan said on the occasion that corneal transplantation is a delicate process and there was a dire need for a high-quality eye bank for processing and storing locally obtained corneas. With the help of Dr Maqbool Ahmed Eye Bank, we will not only be able to provide corneas for transplantation at the Institute of Ophthalmology but also aim at providing corneas to other institutions in Punjab in the future, he said.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
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