Priceless

Column from Daily Express 24-11-2010

 

Little Feet

Met this person Todd Shea at a seminar in NUST RIMMS and felt great listening to him singing Dil Dil Pakistan. His works an inspiration and more of a realization about our response towards the social responsibility as a member of society. More could be learnt about him and his work through the ph0tostream.

He is an American who has been involved in supporting disaster hit communities in Pakistan. His organization CDRS has been providing healthcare in disaster hit areas of Pakistan and has been quite active particularly in Kashmir and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (formerly NWFP). That’s not all, Todd Shea has brought Pakistan international fame when his organization CDRS Pakistan decided to help Haiti this year in there ordeal. Everyone was wondering who this Todd Shea guy from Pakistan who is helping people in places like Haiti. Todd Shea is a guy who has decided to make Pakistan his home and accept all the challenges that are involved. He has helped countless Pakistanis everywhere and now he is here to tell us his story. His complete story could be found here.

The website tells that Sustainable Healthcare Initiatives Now Empowering (SHINE) and its partner agency, Comprehensive Disaster Response Services (CDRS) have spent close to a decade in international disaster management and provision of medical support services. The two agencies operate under a joint platform built on a shared philosophy of bridge-building and collaboration – between the developed and underdeveloped countries; between public and private players; and between non-profit agencies of different sizes and specialization. The end-goal is the long-term improvement of the health and well-being of underprivileged communities.

CDRS Logo

The team of SHINE/CDRS has deployed its logistics and medical supportteams in multiple disasters, including in the aftermaths of 9/11, Tsunami, Hurricane Katrina, the 2005 Pakistan Earthquake and the 2010 Haiti Earthquake. Having gradually evolved a model that takes a community from disaster to development, SHINE/CDRS is now piloting a self-sustainable healthcare program in remote areas of rural Kashmir to address fiscal challenges that paralyze healthcare delivery in Pakistan and other less developed countries. The  joint agency  is also active in the area of health education.

Here are the few videos about him and his work:

The improbable American by New York Times

His song little feet, which he sang for his son

We are changing

With life moving on a faster pace than it was a decade before, Pakistan is optimistic with youth coming in the field and aiming a change. Youth parliaments and youth leadership conferences along with entrepreneurship sagas are taking more and more students on board every year. With politics-less student societies and organizations in schools, colleges and universities developing many people for the right path, we are certainly hopefull about a better Pakistan; about better we.

Located on Baba – e – Urdu road, is Karachi’s second largest public hospital called the Civil Hospital. The 2300 bed hospital is providing health to public since 1895. Running on funding by both government and NGOS, it serves to all stratas of society but most importantly the poor, who can’t afford medical care in private hospitals. There is no consultation fee, no fee for most medical procedures, and some drugs that the patients need are covered as well. It is undoubtedly the only place these poor people had to turn to in order find relief from their sickness.

Hospital also imparts both undergraduate and postgraduate medical teaching and training, through its affiliated DOW Medical College – the oldest medical college in Sindh.  DOW is no doubt the most esteemed medical institution and a dream for every pre-medical student of Karachi and Sindh. Students securing admissions here are the toppers and mostly belong to the upper middle-class of society (if it still exists), who had hardly been to a government hospital ever before they enter the college premises separated by a “wall of Berlin” from the Civil hospital boundaries. Our aim of today and hope for tomorrow are these young students of the medical college, who entered the stream in 2008 and decided a change, a change for good.

Civil hospital, due to the lack of government interest in health sector and certainly due to unjust allocation and distribution of funds from government, has a pathetic state in terms of cleanliness and what we called a hygienic environment. With walls chalked, corners red and lack of public awareness to hygiene, things are not as they were meant to be.

Civil Hospital

DOWites 14 have aimed to change the scenarios by their self initiated project S.O.C.H. (Serve Our Civil Hospital). Started through a mere discussion and status on a social networking site, SOCH intends to improve the hygiene conditions at the hospital through direct involvement of students. The project has not just enthusiasm of the young blood but a proper plan of action. Divided in five teams, the project aims to generate capital through funds raising or sponsorships. Making the most of the social networking, project is active in creating awareness among masses about a better hygiene and the service to poor has reached more than 200 volunteer strength.

The well interested students have set four stages of their work: fund raising, research / identification of attention needy areas, cleaning and awareness. The team has successfully collected a handsome amount of about one lac and twenty-five thousands and is now a days in its second stage of deciding of needs of different wards. A proper pro-forma was filled and professionalism was exhibited in the entire process, a friend shared a few days back. Much enthusiastic about the cause, these students don’t consider the lower class of society for bad condition of hospital but ignorance and lack of awareness. “They aren’t dirty because they don’t know how to keep themselves clean, they’re dirty because they have very few clothes and no money to take showers. They don’t talk loudly because they are ill mannered, they’re just used to talking that way because that’s the only way their complaints are heard by the society,” wrote Najwa Parvin, a DOWite in her blog.

S.O.C.H Logo

S.O.C.H. has acquired the services of five sweepers for a shift of eight hours from 2 to 10 pm. Three will be working in Gynae I, II and III and other two will serve the Paed wards. Project intends to prohibit pan in the wards and install proper dustbins too.  The last and the longest stage of creating awareness will be accomplished students’ wards groups visiting the patients and attendees and stressing the importance of cleanliness. They also plan to counsel janitors on their issues to a more productive outcome of their work. Sign boards will also be put up in alleys and wards to further serve the job. The project will be attended on monthly basis through funding coming in by the efforts of the student body.

S.O.C.H. as an initiative will not just serve the Civil Hospital but would certainly be adopted by students of other medical colleges and universities. The project, has triggered a change, necessary in our social environment. We as youth of today will be next leading the positions, our dedication and awareness to our true problems and their self-helped solutions will definitely take us towards a better path. There is a dire need to value such initiatives and implement them in our own frame of reference. S.O.C.H team has proved that we are changing, we are improving. A similar initiative, in every government hospital will surely change these places to much hygienic and ideal for public. Three cheers to the dedicated S.O.C.H team! Hats off to you! 🙂

AMS Civil Hospital Karachi. Mrs. Mufti giving briefing on "How can we serve Civil Hospital"

A few pictures narrating the situation at the hospital, courtesy a friend.

Food Serving Trolley

Entrance to Washroom

Dust never in the bin

Wonders of pan

A food tray

Lift but closed

Wall Chalking

Women patients waiting

Vision

There has been considerable success at the HEC in the last six years.

• The number of universities has increased from 74 to 129 i.e. 74 in the first 56 years, and 55 in the last six years.
• University enrolment has approximately tripled from 135,000 to 315,000.
• Access to higher education has more than doubled from 2.2 per cent to 4.7 per cent.
• Women’s enrolment has increased from 37 to 46 per cent.
• About 5,000 scholars are pursuing their PhD in foreign countries, and another 4,500 are pursuing the degree locally.
• The National Research Programme for universities, the Pakistan Education and Research Network with 10 gbps bandwidth and video-conferencing facilities at more than 70 universities/institutions and the National Digital Library with 45,000 e-books and 23,000 full text journals have been established.
• There have been curriculum reforms and the criteria for Masters and Phd degrees have been set.
• Quality enhancement cells have been established in 30 universities and leadership training has been provided to vice chancellors.
• Pakistan has been called a ‘rising star’ in Science Watch, and independent assessments by the World Bank and the British Council have all been praiseworthy.
• Five years ago no Pakistani university ranked among the top 600 universities of the world in the Times Higher Education Supplement. Today, five do.

Writes present Chairman Higher Education Commission, Dr. Javaid R. Laghari. (“Challenges in Higher Education”, Dawn, January 4, 2010)

This is admitted by a person who belongs to the “rival” party of the last “dictator” we had, and the last person who cared about what we call “Education”. That’s where we say, visions cannot be denied.

Azme Alishan

Moving through the Heart of Pakistan, Lahore’s to CCBPL on Raiwand Road, I passed through Canal Road on a hot sunny Friday afternoon in second phase of March 2010. With two suicide bomb blasts already reported R. A. Bazar claiming 57 lives and over hundred injured, the thoughts in mind was not about the terrorist activities on going in country but, the wonderful heritage we inherit, culture we follow and the history, we as a nation carry.

Strange? A blast hit the news and mind is cherishing the culture and heritage! It would have been the case if you have seen what i saw that day. The way we see things is the source of the way we think and the way we act (Covey, 2004). The canal in between the two roads was adorned by beautiful depictions of our culture, history and natural beauty. This view made me forget about the  terror a common man faces each day.

Few days later saw an advertisement in newspaper, the advertisement depicted a  young girl saying “I know few people do evil, but I aim that all I do will be good! Because I want others to do good with me as an example. This will make everything right and my Pakistan will become good too.” The addvertisement  entitled “Azme Alishan” (English: Great Aim) turned out to be an extremely vibrant inspiration and motion for me and helped me come out a big emotional breakdown – Optimism, Zeal, Hope, Aim… Great Aim worked.

Azme Alishan Advertisement

Accidently finding out the site for this great aim revealed that yes it really does. The initiative pledged to affirm amongst ourselves and send a message to the world that we will define our own future as a people and a nation (Azme Alishan, 2010) has done things more close to reality and of more impact. The initiative inspired people to aim great to symbolize a commitment to build a better, brighter and more positive future for our nation (Azme Alishan, 2010), through plantation, Sanwaro Pakistan and Song Composition to name a few.

The great aim supported by a consortium of Pakistan’s leading advertising and media groups who have come together to reclaim Pakistan’s identity (Azme Alishan, 2010) reminds me of a poem well established under the patriotic spirit, we as a nation carry.

Khuda Karay Kay Meri Arz-e-Pak Pay Utray

Woh Fasl-e-Gul Jissay Andesha-e-Zawwal Na Ho

Yahan Jo Phool Khillay Khila Rahay Sadiyon

Yahan Say Khizan Ko Guzarnay Ki Majaal Na Ho

Yahan Jo Sabza Ugay Hamesha Sabz Rahay

Aur Aisa Sabz Kay Jisski Koi Misaal Na Ho

Khuda Karay Kay Na Kham Ho Sir-e-Wiqar-e-Watan

Aur Iss Kay Husn Ko Tashweesh-e-Mah o Saal Na Ho

Har Aik Fard Ho Tahzeeb-o-Fun Ka Aouj-e-Kamaal

Koi Malool Na Ho, Koi Khasta Haal Na Ho

Khuda Karay Meray Aik Bhi Ham Watan Kay Liyay

Haya’at Jurram Na Ho, Zindagi Wabaal Na Ho

(Ahmed Nadeem Qasmi)