THARPARKAR: Three organisations joined hands on Tuesday to build a 100-bed hospital in Tharparkar where the residents of the district would receive modern and free of cost healthcare services.
A tripartite Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) has been signed between Thar Foundation, The Indus Hospital, and Shahid Afridi Foundation during a ceremony held in Tharparkar on Tuesday.
The three parties agreed to collaborate on the establishment of a 100-bed, state of the art hospital as envisioned by the Thar Foundation, in the Islamkot Town of Tharparkar, aimed at providing free healthcare services to the community, says a statement issued here.
The MoU was signed by Sindh Engro Coal Mining Company CEO Shamsuddin Shaikh, The Indus Hospital CEO Dr. Abdul Bari Khan, and advisor to CEO at Shahid Afridi Foundation (SAF), Zeeshan Afzal.
As per the agreement, the Thar Foundation will have the overall responsibility of the management of the project and its implementation. The Indus Hospital will be responsible for the day-to-day operational affairs, and SAF will be responsible for funding the establishment a block; construction of other blocks together with their operational expenses will be financed by TF.
Expected completion of first block is expected by end of 2018 and second block by mid-2019, says the agreement.
Speaking on the occasion, Shamsuddin Shaikh held that it was imperative for his company to work for the socioeconomic welfare of the people of Thar.
“The Thar region lacks basic health facilities, and we would actually make a great difference in the lives of the Tharis if we could provide them with modern health services; thus, the idea of establishment of the hospital,” he said.
Dr. Bari held the MoU as a ‘historic step’ taken for the welfare of the Thari communities. “The partnership will help improve the health of the people of Thar region, and together we hope to make the hospital functional by the end of 2018,” said Bari.
Zeeshan Afzal termed the ‘collaboration’ as “giving back to the community” and said, “The work that the three organisations have committed to undertake will go a long way in improving Thari communities’ lives, and will prove to be just a start in providing better healthcare services to the underprivileged.”
The three parties also expressed their mutual desire and a firm commitment to collaborate on other similar projects for the betterment of the people of Tharparkar and diligently pursue different activities in different areas of social development.
