|
Shaukat
Aziz,
Advisor to the Prime Minister for Finance, Revenue, Economic Affairs,
Planning, Development and Statistics, Government of Pakistan, was
the chief guest at a dinner on February 1, 2003, at which Aga Khan
University (AKU) honoured donors for their generous support to the
proposed Oncology Services Building.
In his keynote
address on 'The Role of the Private Sector in Social Development',
Shaukat Aziz said that a partnership between Pakistan's public sector
and private sector is the most effective way of fighting poverty.
He said, "Poverty can only be tackled in a holistic and comprehensive
manner whereby the civil society makes an effort to complement government
endeavours." He stressed the Oncology Service Building was a very
needed and valuable addition to Aga Khan University Hospital (AKUH),
and acknowledged the generosity of all donors present, whose contributions
to the new cancer facility will bring high quality, comprehensive
care to cancer sufferers in Karachi as well as in the rest of the
country.
"Their support
is an excellent example of corporate philanthropy in action, of
building trust, and a motivation for the entire private sector,"
Shaukat Aziz remarked. He commended Aga Khan Development Network
(AKDN) for its continued and sustained efforts towards poverty alleviation,
access to education and health care and development of rural areas,
and described AKDN as "a continuous beacon of hope for Pakistan's
less fortunate."
 |
| Shaukat
Aziz, Advisor to the Prime Minister for Finance, Revenue, Economic
Affairs, Planning, Development and Statistics, addressing the
donors at the dinner in their honour, at Aga Khan University
Sports and Rehabilitation Centre. |
With construction
beginning in 2003 and completion in 2005, the new Oncology Services
Building, costing Rs. 456 million, will be the state-of-the-art
comprehensive cancer care facility in Pakistan. The total cost
to be raised is Rs. 240 million by 48 donors in units of Rs. 5 million
each from across Pakistan and abroad. Out of this, 41 donors have
already pledged Rs. 195 million, who represent a very broad cross
section of multinational, national and local companies and individuals
providing a model of philanthropy. This also includes the largest
single contribution of US$ 500,000 by San Francisco based Asim Abdullah
and his wife, Dr. Isha Abdullah, an AKU Medical College graduate.
The balance of Rs. 216 million is being funded by the institution.
The new cancer
facility will be part of a growing Ambulatory Care Complex at AKUH. The 27,000 square feet Oncology Services Building will offer cutting-edge
diagnostic and treatment services, as well as training and research
programmes. Patient care will also focus on prevention, with screening
for common cancers and AKUH sponsored health awareness programmes.
The location
of Oncology Services Building within the Hospital will provide patients
with the support of AKUH's multidisciplinary tertiary care services.
As is the Hospital practice, cancer patients in need will also be
provided financial assistance through the Patient Welfare Programme
and through zakat funds contributed to the Patients' Behbud Society
for AKUH. Since 1986, more than 170,000 patients have benefited
from this programme.
Welcoming the
chief guest, Shamsh Kassim-Lakha, President of AKU, said the generous
support of donors to the new building is a prime example of philanthropy
in action. This partnership between the university and the private
sector is a testament to the nation's collective will for societal
development. "Tonight is a celebration of the ongoing effort to
bring such partnerships to fruition," said Kassim-Lakha.
Dr. Shaista
Khan, AKU's Professor and Chief of General Surgery, said in a presentation
that in Pakistan over seven million people suffer from cancer. She
said that dramatic advances in cancer treatment have greatly increased
life expectancy, but have created a need for new long term cancer
care facilities with specialised equipment and services. This critical
need will be met by AKU's new comprehensive cancer care services.
AKU is an international
University with three teaching sites in Pakistan, and others in
Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania and the United Kingdom. It is the academic
facility of Aga Khan Development Network, a group of private international
agencies working in the developing countries of Asia and Africa.
More Pictures..
|
