Rajana Hospital New Home

The new offices of Pakistan Foundation International (PFI), which runs and funds the Rajana Foundation Hospital, in Pakistan, were opened at Network House, Calder Street, in Govanhill. They are much bigger than the previous ones which were behind the Habib Bank in Norfolk Street.

Around 150 people attended the opening ceremony which was done during Ramadan (a month in which Muslims fast from sunlight to sunset)

The hospital board members along with the founder, Mohammad Sarwar, Westminster MP for Glasgow Central and Maulana Mohammed Faroghul-Quadri of  the Glasgow Islamic Academy said a prayer to bless the premises.

Mr Sarwar thanked the board and the volunteers for their hard work and thanked everyone who had given donations.

The hospital was set up in 2005 by Mr Sarwar after a visit to Pakistan when he observed that abject poverty meant that poor and vulnerable people could not access any proper medical services. Only people with money could get medical attention. This prompted him to set up an easily accessible hospital where the charges are a quarter of those at other hospitals.

Toba Tek Singh District in Pakistan has 1.7 million people. Many live in rural areas which lack clean water and basic sanitation. Malnutrition is commonplace. These factors add up to a multitude of preventable health problems. The Rajana Foundation hospital is located in this District and provides quality and affordable healthcare for most of the poorest people in the area.

The annual budget for the 65 bed hospital is £150,000, and it dealt with 54,000 patients last year. There are 120 staff with 20 consultants and 9 surgeons. The hospital recently received a 50 million Rupees (£370, 600) donation from Mian Shabaz Sharif, the brother of Nawaz Sharif, a former Prime Minister of Pakistan. The money will be used to build a floor at the top of the building for dentists and opticians. A 35 bed Hospital, called Rai Al Nawaz, will open this month (October 2008)  in the Chichawatni district of Sahiwal. It cost £300,000 to build and will have around 50 staff.

The annual running costs will be £75,000.

To make a donation contact: Pakistan Foundation International (PFI), Network House 311 Calder Street, Glasgow, G42 7NQ. Tel: 0141 585 8024. Website: www.pakistanfoundation.com