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The Patients' Welfare Association, abbreviated as PWA, is a non-political, non-governmental organization (NGO) located within Civil Hospital, Karachi run by the students of Dow Medical College, which works for the medical aid of underprivileged patients by providing a number of services free of charge. The organization depends upon its donors and volunteers for its functionality and maintenance. Other than conventional charity donations and zakat funds the PWA also holds many fund raising campaigns such as bake sales and promotion in school campuses.
Contents
- History
- Services
- Drug bank
- Blood Bank
- Diagnostic Laboratory
- Thalassemia Services
- Follow up Clinics
- Other events
- References
Established in 1979, by three students of Dow Medical College, it soon transformed from being a small student based organization to a much larger movement with much coverage of their humanitarian deeds being publicized by means of local Television channels, Newspaper, Radio as well as their own newsletter which is circulated in their locality.
History
Patients' Welfare Association was established as a small student based organization by three students of Dow Medical College in 1979, with simple services such as free of cost drugs for needy patients. In the years to come the organization gained much popularity and by 1982 it had gained enough funds and volunteer force to form a blood bank and a Thalassemia Follow-up Clinic. With their influence spreading, in 1986 a diagnostic laboratory was set up.
Services
With the slogan "We feel, We serve," their existence depends on service to the underprivileged segment of society. The organization achieves this by means of several departments which have been built within the vicinity of Civil Hospital, Karachi.
Drug bank
The Drug 'bank' is a full-fledged pharmacy which covers an area of two thousand square feet and provides drugs to patients free of cost. The drugs are also donated to follow up clinics including Tuberculosis and General follow up. The functioning of the pharmacy is solely depends on the student volunteers of the PWA. In 2004 the pharmacy was computerized which upgraded its functionality to a much level of efficiency and organization.
Blood Bank
The Blood bank provides more than 250 units of blood daily on exchange basis not only to patients of Civil Hospital Karachi, but also extends its services to patients all over the city. All units dispatched are screened for Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, HIV, Syphilis and Malarial Parasite, thus ensuring patient safety. The blood bank also provides blood components such as packed cells, platelets and fresh frozen plasma. The Blood Bank has also started the service of providing mega unit of platelets to patients of Civil Hospital Karachi,completely free of cost.
Diagnostic Laboratory
PWA Diagnostic Laboratory provides baseline biochemical and haematological tests to the registered patients of PWA Thalassemia Services and PWA Follow Up Clinics. The Laboratory also provides facility of Complete Blood Count with Peripheral Film Study by a Consultant Haematologist for the admitted patients of Civil Hospital Karachi.
Thalassemia Services
Previously working under the 'Follow Up Clinics', PWA Thalassemia Services was upgraded to a separate department with the start of transfusion facility for registered Thalassemia patients in 2011. The department has got 275 registered patients suffering from Thalassemia, a hereditary blood disorder. These patients are receiving regular blood transfusions and consultations by a qualified Haematologist along with regular diagnostic investigations, Due to shortage of funds, only 100 registered patients are currently being provided with Iron chelation therapy as well. efforts are under-way to collect funds and start provision of Iron chelation therapy to all registered patients. The cost of treatment of one patients suffering from this lifelong disease is Pakistani Rs. 100,000 - Rs. 400,000 depending upon the age and blood transfusion needs of the patient. PWA Thalassemia Services is providing all these facilities completely free of any charge.
Follow up Clinics
This department provides medicine, free of cost, to patients suffering from Tuberculosis. The services provided include regular check-ups by qualified doctors and complete nine to twelve month medicinal courses. Other than the Thalassemia and Tuberculosis specific department the general follow-up clinic provides medicine to patients suffering from various diseases and who need constant treatment.
Other events
The Patients' Welfare Association holds many events; from fund raising activities to seminars concerning local medical issues. One of their main fund raising events is an annual ‘Food Mela', a bake sale of colossal magnitude, where funds more than one million rupees have been gathered in recent years.