RAWALPINDI, SEP 22 /DNA/ – Al-Shifa Trust has released a new report on its community eye-care programme, finding that refractive errors are the most common eye problem identified among children during school screening camps.
The report, prepared by the Al-Shifa Center for Community Ophthalmology (ACCO), highlights the importance of early detection of vision problems among children.
Refractive error ranks first among the top five conditions identified through its school screening programme. Squint ranks second, followed by conjunctivitis, blepharitis and stye.
The findings underline the role of school-based eye screening in identifying children who may otherwise continue their education with undetected vision problems. Early detection can help children receive appropriate eye care and reduce the risk of vision problems affecting their education and daily activities.
ACCO has developed one of Pakistan’s most extensive community eye-care outreach programmes, operating screening, school screening and surgical eye camps through teams based at Al-Shifa Trust hospitals in Rawalpindi, Sukkur, Kohat, Muzaffarabad and Chakwal.
Since its establishment, the programme has conducted more than 5,000 school screening camps and benefited more than seven million people through its community activities. It has also reached more than 150 of Pakistan’s 170 districts.
The outreach programme has conducted more than 500 surgical eye camps, over 5,000 community screening camps and more than 100,000 free cataract surgeries. These activities extend free eye care to rural and underserved communities where access to specialist services remains limited.
Al-Shifa has also introduced three mobile operation theatres to perform vision-restoring procedures, including cataract surgery, in communities with limited healthcare infrastructure.
The Trust’s outreach work has expanded alongside patient demand. ACCO recorded 715,333 outpatient visits during 2025-26, compared with 665,608 in 2024-25.
“The school screening programme provides an important preventive component of Al-Shifa’s eye-care work, helping identify vision problems among children at an early stage,” said Dr Hafiz Muhammad Najam ul Hasnat, GM ACCO.
The Trust aims to make quality eye care accessible and affordable while working to reduce preventable blindness in Pakistan.
