Eye Care in Pakistan

Last month, Warren Van Kampen, a retired ophthalmologist from west Michigan, made a second trip to Pakistan with Reach the Nations and revisited Christian Hospital of Sahiwal (CHS) located in the city Sahiwal just over 100 miles southwest of Lahore in central Pakistan.

The hospital, under the direction of Dr. Keith Ackerman, offers high quality medical, obstetric, and orthopaedic services. On his previous visit, Dr. Van Kampen realized they were not equipped to offer any ophthalmologic services and, with Dr. Ackerman’s enthusiastic approval, he set about to correct that. The two men worked together over the past months to select and purchase the right equipment, to rehab appropriate space inside the hospital, and to prepare an ophthalmology suite to provide eye exams and surgeries.

In November. Dr. Van Kampen was on-site to help with the organization of the clinic and operating room and, working with a local Pakistani ophthalmologist, to train the nurses in use of the equipment. By the end of his time there, there were able to open the clinic to the public and treat a number of Pakistani patients. CHS is now able to remove cataracts, treat eye injuries and infections, and diagnose and treat glaucoma.

This photo above is of Dr. Van Kampen with Dr. Ahmed Zeeshan, a Pakistan ophthalmologist now working with CHS.

In this photo, you see hospital director, Dr. Ackerman observing nurses who are being trained to use the new equipment. We are pleased to have a small part in the expansion of these medical services through excellent eye care.

We are thankful for the many of you who are supporting Reach the Nations and their outreach in South Asia and thought you would be interested to know at least one way in which that outreach is expanding. Please continue to uphold this work in your prayers!