PBS supports 11,000 needy patients this year

KARACHI: The Patients Behbud Society (PBS) has provided support to more than 11,000 needy patients in 2011 as compared to 3,401 in 2010.

“Since its inception, it has disbursed Rs 400 million for the treatment of thousands of needy patients, said chairman PBS for Aga Khan University Hospital (AKUH) Monem while talking to Daily Times.

As part of its welfare initiatives and to meet the increasing demand of the growing

number of needy patients, the AKUH facilitated a group of eminent citizens and well-wishers who joined hands to form PBS in 2001, he stated.

Monem said 100 percent contributions were disbursed for the treatment of the patients who were eligible to receive Zakat, however, the funding from Zakat was meagre as compared to the rising number of patients.

“This is an independent Society and is responsible for collecting Zakat and disbursing it for treatment of needy patients, who visit AKUH but are unable to pay the full cost of the treatment,” he maintained.

The Society is registered as a social welfare organisation with the Directorate of Social Welfare, Government of Sindh and is entirely non-political, non-sectarian and not-for-profit, he said.

PBS comprises an Executive Committee, which administers the operation and utilisation of contributions. It meets regularly to carefully screening and reviewing the patients’ cases.

Commenting on the transparency, he said, the PBS accounts are audited annually by AF Ferguson and Company, a leading audit firm.

Meanwhile, an AKUH spokesman said: “Eevery year, approximately 1,000,000 patients seek medical care at the AKUH. Almost 75 percent of them are from the middle and lower income group, many of whom are unable to afford the total cost of treatment and require some financial assistance.”

He said the AKUH Patient Welfare Programme was initiated in 1985 to support needy patients. “Funds for the programme are generated through an endowment supported by individual and corporate donors worldwide, sales from volunteer-run gift and flower shops at campus and AKU greeting cards, annual donations and hospital revenues,” he added.

The Patient Welfare Programme provided Rs 382 million assistance last year, of which Rs 308 million were directly contributed by the university, he further informed.

http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2011%5C08%5C29%5Cstory_29-8-2011_pg7_5

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