MoU to counter corneal blindness

LAHORE: A seminar on prevention of corneal blindness was held at the College of Ophthalmology & Allied Vision Sciences (COAVS) on Saturday.

Akhuwat Director Dr Amjad Saqib, Darul-Aloom Jamia Naeemia Principal Maulana Raghib Naeemi, King Edward Medical University Vice-Chancellor Prof Dr Khalid Masood Gondal, COAVS Principal Prof Asad Aslam Khan and Prof Khalil Rana addressed the seminar.

Prof Asad Aslam said corneal blindness was the second leading cause of blindness in Pakistan and burden of corneal blindness on the individual and the wider community could be huge, particularly as it tends to affect people at a relatively younger age.

A memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed between COAVS and Akhuwat. Under the MoU Akhuwat has created an endowment fund for providing financial support to deserving patients for cornea transplant and COAVS will provide free cornea transplant facilities to patients having corneal blindness. It was also decided that awareness sessions and corneal donation would be arranged in different parts of the country as well.

Maulana Raghib Naeemi termed this cause beneficiary for mankind. He said scholars and doctors should extensively discuss their point of views on the matter of organ donation through dialogues and discourse to make an acceptable approach according to Islamic jurisprudence and remove misconceptions.