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AKUH disburses over Rs. 160 million in financial assistance to
needy patients
The Patient Welfare Programme at Aga Khan University Hospital (AKUH)
provided over Rs. 160 million in financial assistance to needy patients
during 2004, representing a 9.5 per cent increase in disbursement
over the corresponding 12-month period in 2003. More than 22,000 patients
were offered welfare support in 2004, compared to some 20,000 the
previous year.
The Patient Welfare Programme at AKUH allows access to quality health
care that may otherwise not be affordable to thousands of patients.
Since the inception of the programme in 1986, financial assistance
worth over Rs. 1.22 billion has been given to more than 225,000 deserving
patients.
Nearly 70 per cent of the 410,000 patients who visit AKUH every year
come from low- to middle-income households and many cannot bear the
full cost of treatment. "The Hospital provides access to needy patients
without any discrimination on the basis of faith, gender or ethnic
origin," comments Mr Kabir Akbar, Manager of the University Hospital's
Patient Welfare Department.
In addition to the Patient Welfare Programme, the Patients' Behbud
Society for AKUH, a private philanthropy which commenced operations
in 2001, assists the mustahiq in their treatment at AKUH with zakat
funds in accordance with the injunctions of the Shariah. By the end
of 2004, a total of 936 mustahiqeen had received Rs. 29.2 million
through the Patients' Behbud Society.
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