25th June 2024 18:58:27 Hours
Sri Lanka, renowned for its rich history of eye donations, has resumed the donation of human eye corneas to the Pakistan Army, marking a new chapter in the longstanding relationship between the two nations. This initiative symbolizes the restart of a noble humanitarian project focused on fostering people-to-people connections between Sri Lanka and Pakistan, two brotherly nations that have supported each other through challenging times.
The first consignment of five eye corneas was officially handed over by the High Commissioner, H.E. Admiral Ravindra Wijegunaratne, and Defense Advisor, Brigadier D.K.R.N Silva RSP USP psc, to Major General Iftikhar Ahmed Satti, Acting Surgeon General and Director General of Medical Services (DGMS) at Pakistan Military Eye Hospital, AFIO (Armed Forces Institute of Ophthalmology) in Rawalpindi. The simple ceremony took place on 21 June 2024, and was attended by Brigadier (Dr.) Waqar Muzaffar, Commandant & Dean, and the staff of AFIO.
These corneas will be implanted in gallant members of the Pakistan Army who lost or damaged their eye corneas during their fight against terror. This generous donation will enable them to regain their eyesight, allowing them to see the world again through Sri Lankan eyes.
Since its inception, Sri Lanka has donated over 88,000 eye corneas worldwide through the Eye Donation Society of Sri Lanka, established in 1964 by the late Deshamannya Dr. Hudson Silva. Out of them, more than 36,000 corneas have been donated to Pakistan.
Defence Advisor of Sri Lanka to Pakistan, coordinated this project with significant contributions from Mr. Idris Admani, President of the Pakistan-Sri Lanka Friendship Association.
