Members of the public are invited to attend the annual general meeting of The Hashim Welfare Hospital Appeal and bring themselves up-to-date on the progress of improving healthcare for the impoverished community in north Pakistan.  The AGM will begin promptly at 3pm on Sunday, 6th July, 2008 and is being held in the Post-Graduate Education Centre, near the Duchess of Kent Wing, St. Peter’s Hospital, Guildford Road, Chertsey.  During the 45 minute meeting Urological Specialist DrIdrees Awan – who founded The Hashim Welfare Hospital in his home village of Pindi Hashim  - will outline the progress of the hospital which treated its first patient in June 2003.  Since then over 59,000 people have been treated in the outpatients department many for diabetes and eyesight problems; and over 800 eye operations have been successfully completed.

Hashim Welfare Hospital staff were part of the major relief operation which was established to deal with the devastating October 2005 earthquake which killed 73,000 people and injured 128,288 and millions made homeless.  Within six weeks of the earthquake Hashim Hospital aid workers were running four hospitals treating nearly 35,000 people in 10 months.   Hashim Welfare Hospital staff are now supporting the building and operation of a new day hospital in the village of TehsildarWala, Fasialabad and a new dispensary in the village of Namil Syedain, in district Muzaffarabad.

After the meeting there will be hot and cold refreshments for everyone and an opportunity to talk to supporters of the Appeal who have been out to Pakistan and been involved in the relief work and the work of The Hashim Welfare Hospital itself.   The AGM falls just one day after the NHS celebrates its 60th Anniversary and is an excellent example of the voluntary support provided by NHS staff to developing areas in the world.  The Link between Ashford and St. Peter’s Hospitals and the HashimWelfare Hospital is formally registered with the Tropical Health and Education Trust and further information about Links can be found on their website at www.thet.org.

Said Mr Awan: “We hope that interested members of the public, and staff at Ashford and St. Peter’s, will come along.  The support of our NHS colleagues and the general public has been much appreciated and we are looking forward to bringing everyone up-to-date with our news.    And, we do hope those attending will enjoy the refreshments. “

Anyone wishing to donate money to the appeal can do so by visiting www.hashimwelfare.org.uk or by contacting the UK appeal Treasurer, Mr Sajid Mahmood on 01483-762774 or 07887-851040.