The humane way forward for perception.

• Author: Ahmed, Khalil

Byline: KHALIL AHMED

LRBT provides high-quality eye care services to the underprivileged population

Interview with Mr Najmus Saquib Hameed - honorary Chairman, LRBT

PAGE: Tell me something about yourself, please:

Najmus Saquib Hameed: I'm the honorary Chairman of LRBT. I've spent my career working with leading global organisations and have led companies and teams both in and out of Pakistan. For the past 19 years, I have been serving in various capacities at the LRBT, and for the past 8 years as Chairman. My time with LRBT has been the most rewarding period of my life.

PAGE: How is LRBT different from private hospitals when it comes to the quality of doctors and staff?

Najmus Saquib Hameed: The work that LRBT is doing is nothing short of a miracle. We provide free eye care for the underprivileged and are the largest organisation in Pakistan to do so. LRBT, effectively, is the backbone of eye care in Pakistan. With 19 hospitals in 17 cities, and 61 primary eye care centers, we have developed a network accessible to everyone in Pakistan. Every person in Pakistan is at most a 3-hour bus ride from one of our facilities.

The only income stream of LRBT is donations and zakat. We rely on the generosity of corporate and individual donors to meet our expenses.

LRBT (Layton Rahmatullah Benevolent Trust) is renowned for its commitment to providing high-quality eye care services to the underprivileged population of Pakistan. As such, we are driven by our mission: "No man, woman or child should go blind just because he/she cannot afford the treatment". This social mission drives LRBT's commitment to serving marginalised communities and ensuring that quality eye care is accessible to all, irrespective of whether they can afford it.

LRBT specialises in ophthalmology and eye care services, which allows us to concentrate our efforts, resources, and expertise on a specific area of medical care. We proudly serve our patients with world-class medical expertise in this field.

As a charity, a significant part of our focus is on engaging with the community to screen and diagnose eye diseases and identify areas of high need. Our Community Outreach department conducts free screenings and health camps which act as patient funnels, bringing in deserving patients into our hospitals.

Of course, a major distinction between us and private hospitals is our reliance on public charity and donations as our source of income. And with this income, we have thus far treated 53...