The OIC Ministerial Standing Committee on Scientific and Technological Cooperation (COMSTECH) is set to organize a two-day free medical camp in Fort Abbas, a remote desert tehsil bordering India in southern Punjab. Scheduled for June 18-19, the camp aims to provide healthcare services to underserved communities in the Cholistan region.
Collaboration and Expected Impact
The camp is being organized in partnership with the Patient and Child Welfare Association Fort Abbas and the Punjab Health Department. It is expected to benefit around 1,500 people from remote villages where access to specialized healthcare remains limited.
Medical Team and Services
A team of 15 senior medical specialists, both male and female, will offer free consultations, diagnosis, and medicines. Specialists include cardiologists, child specialists, dermatologists, ophthalmologists, gastroenterologists, gynaecologists, physiotherapists, general physicians, ENT specialists, and female medical practitioners.
Senior healthcare professionals from Bahawalnagar and the region will also participate, including former Victoria Hospital Bahawalpur Chief Surgeon Dr. Abid Hussain, former Tehsil Headquarters Hospital Fort Abbas Medical Superintendent Dr. Rao Shahid Tasleem, former Deputy District Health Officer Dr. Muhammad Tariq, and Ophthalmologist Dr. Qasim Ijaz Arain.
Special Focus on Vulnerable Groups
Special healthcare services will be provided for women, children, and elderly patients. Awareness sessions on preventive healthcare and common medical conditions are also planned.
Official Statements
COMSTECH Coordinator General Prof. Dr. M. Iqbal Choudhary stated that access to quality healthcare remains a major challenge for people in remote and economically disadvantaged areas. He emphasized that the camp aims to bring specialist healthcare directly to communities lacking qualified doctors and medical facilities. He added that COMSTECH will continue supporting humanitarian and healthcare initiatives for vulnerable populations.
Member of the Punjab Assembly, Chaudhry Kashif Naveed Pansota, welcomed the initiative, noting that residents of Fort Abbas and surrounding Cholistan villages view the camp as a valuable opportunity for free specialist medical services. He appreciated COMSTECH, the Patient and Child Welfare Association Fort Abbas, and the Punjab Health Department for facilitating healthcare outreach in the region.
Previous Initiatives
COMSTECH has previously organized similar medical and eye camps in Tharparkar, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Muzaffargarh, and African countries including Chad and Niger. The Fort Abbas initiative is part of the organization's broader health outreach program aimed at supporting underserved communities in Pakistan and other OIC member states.
