Term Project

12/13/2012

Patients Welfare Association

Submitted To: Mrs. Fareeda Ibad Submitted By:

Patients Welfare Association

Contents
LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL ........................................................................................................................ 2 Background ................................................................................................................................................... 4 About PWA .................................................................................................................................................... 4 TIMELINE 1979-2009................................................................................................................................. 5 OBJECTIVE: "WE FEEL, WE SERVE," THEIR EXISTENCE DEPENDS ON SERVICE TO THE UNDERPRIVILEGED SEGMENT OF SOCIETY. .................................................................................................................................. 8 Organization Structure:................................................................................................................................. 8 Administration and Planning .................................................................................................................... 9 Media and Communications ..................................................................................................................... 9 Publication Report .................................................................................................................................. 10 Records and Registration Report ............................................................................................................ 10 Follow-Up Department ............................................................................................................................... 11 Blood Bank .................................................................................................................................................. 11 Voluntary Blood Donation Camps............................................................................................................... 12 Drug Bank .................................................................................................................................................... 12 PWA Diagnostic Laboratory ........................................................................................................................ 13 Thalassemia services ................................................................................................................................... 13 Sources of Funds ......................................................................................................................................... 14 Annual Bake Sale ..................................................................................................................................... 14 Zakat Campaign....................................................................................................................................... 15 Donations ................................................................................................................................................ 15 Souvenir .................................................................................................................................................. 16 Allocation of Funds ..................................................................................................................................... 16 Drug Bank ............................................................................................................................................ 16 Follow-Up Clinic .................................................................................................................................. 17 Thalassemia Services........................................................................................................................... 17 Plans of Future Expansion ........................................................................................................................... 17 Future Outlook ............................................................................................................................................ 18 Conclusion ................................................................................................................................................... 18

Patients Welfare Association

LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL

13th December, 2012 Mrs. Fareeda Ibad Business and Professional Speech Institute of Business Management Subject: Non Profit Organizations working in Pakistan Dear Mrs. Fareeda Ibad: Following is the report on: Non Profit Organizations working in Pakistan as authorized by you in the Business and Professional Speech course. We would like to thank you for assigning us this report for our better understanding and representation of the subject and gaining knowledge in better different fields. We would like to acknowledge the cooperation of all the people we interviewed and all those who were kind enough to lend us their valuable time in making this report a success for us.

Yours sincerely,

Patients Welfare Association

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
All thanks to Almighty God for the satisfactory completion of this term report. We want to thank our course Instructor of Business and Professional Speech, Mrs. Fareeda Ibad, whose continuous supervision and assistance was of immense help and support to us.

We would also like to pay our deep regards to all of the people who took part in this research report at Patients Welfare Association especially Miss Sibgha Khan, volunteer at Patients Welfare Association Karachi who personally gave us a tour and information about their NGO and provided us with a lot of assistance that would have otherwise not be possible for us to get.

Patients Welfare Association

Background
Pakistan with increasing number of welfare organizations doing humanitarian work for the nation has Patients Welfare Association (PWA) Founded in 1979 by three students of Dow Medical College, PWA is in its 31st year of philanthropic service and needs no introduction to most of Karachis population. PWA is situated in Civil Hospital which works for the medical aid of underprivileged patients by providing a number of services free of charge, but it is not under its administration.

About PWA
It is a non-political and nongovernmental organization, run solely by the current students of Dow Medical College. New students who get admission in DMC can become PWAs volunteers and those who have completed their studies are associated with it, as advisor. PWAs funds are generated entirely by the volunteers through different sources majorly ZAKAT collected annually, donations through campaigns and charity stalls held at various places. It targets the needs of Most of the people belonging to low socio-economic class, not capable of affording two decent meals a day, so it provides the basic medical facilities. This dismal situation was realized by three students of Dow Medical College and their struggle for better health facilities for the poor patients of Civil Hospital, led to the foundation of Patients Welfare Association (PWA) in 1979. With the slogan "We feel, We serve," their existence depends on service to the underprivileged segment of society. The organization achieves this by means of several departments which have been built within the vicinity of Civil Hospital, Karachi. The bitter truth that death of patients because of lack of money for treatment is an almost everyday incident in a society that lacked the resources to provide them with the necessary health care, left their conscientious minds with no choice but to start this project. At its origin, PWA stood as a single cabinet of medicines. Now, PWA shines as the largest student run non-political and non-governmental organization in Pakistan, run by the students of Dow Medical College on complete voluntary basis. PWA provides all the services free of cost PWA has managed to account for money that is given to it. All the volunteers are from Dow Medical College who dedicate their strength and time for the benefit of those who need it the most. The structure of the organization comprises of the following departments, each contributing its share towards one goal- to feel and to serve. Of these, the working departments include: Drug Bank Blood Bank Diagnostic Laboratory Thalassemia Services

Patients Welfare Association

Follow Up Clinics comprising General Follow Up T.B. Follow Up In addition, the supporting departments ensure that the working departments run in a smooth fashion. These include: Administration and Planning Media Communication Publications Records and Registration.

TIMELINE 1979-2009
1979 Started PWA as a cabinet of medicines, by students of Dow Medical College 1980 The first audit of PWA was prepared by Farooq Ali & Co. 1981 First Annual Souvenir was published 1982 PWA Blood Bank was started 1983 Free of Cost mobile ECG service started for the patients of Civil Hospital, Karachi. 1984 Blood fractionation unit became functional in May of 1984. PWA Follow up Clinic started working in June of 1984. 1985 Vice Presidents and Directors were assigned for each department the General Body decided to constitute Board of Governors to supervise the Executive Committee. PWA Drug Store was established; inaugurated on 10th September 1985. Department of Records and Registration was set up. 1985 PWA Dow Mela was held on February 20 & 21, 1986 at the Arts Council to generate funds for the establishment of PWAs Diagnostic Laboratory. PWA Diagnostic Laboratory was inaugurated on 2nd August 1986 The number of requests catered to by PWAs Drug Bank was increased from 2 to 3 patients per ward. PWAs drug bank started providing costly medicines. 1987 At the time of sadder bomb blast, PWA volunteers worked day and night, compensating for the lack of doctors, medicines and blood. In July of 1987, PWA took over the task of completely renovating and modernizing the casualty of Civil Hospital, Karachi. The mammoth task required an amount of Rs. 3,274.500 which was raised by the efforts of PWA Volunteers.

Patients Welfare Association

1988 First ever newspaper supplement on PWA was published on the occasion of inauguration of the emergency unit. A sophisticated ambulance was donated to PWA 1989 In the year 1989, two audit meetings were held. Medicines worth Rs. 26 lacs had been supplied during the first decade from PWA Drug Bank. 1990 PWA was selected in the second phase of AIDS detection program of Government of Pakistan which it is running with the collaboration of World Health Organization. The delegation of PWA met the Governor of Sindh and informed him about the problems faced by PWA. 1991 Paper infrastructure of the screening of HIV infection was laid. PWA volunteers were called in the survey development program at NIH, National Institute of Health, Islamabad. 1992 Plan was sketched for the Blood Bank renovation. PWA managed to overcome the financial crisis. Up gradation and expansion of services in all parameters. 1993 Renovation of PWAs voluntary Blood Bank was started in the fall of this year. Cost of renovation estimated to amount to Rs. 16 lacs 1994 Inauguration of newly renovated PWA Blood Bank on 20th November 1994. Services to Thalassemic patients were started, benefiting about 60 patients. 1995-96 The daily output of Blood was increased to 100-150 bags per day. 1997-98 HCV Screening was started on each and every blood bag. Drug Banks requests were raised to 4 patients per ward in a day and approximately 50 requests daily were fulfilled. T.B patients sponsorship scheme started. More advanced treatment was started for the patients of Asthma and Epilepsy. PWA volunteers presented research papers on HIV and HCV prevalence for which a prize was awarded PWA assisted in construction of Civil Hospitals Cardiac Surgery Unit. 1999 Millennium renovation plan, in which renovation and up gradation of all facilities of PWA was proposed. HCV Screening continued in spite of financial crisis New flame photometer was introduced in PWA Diagnostic laboratory. 2000 Renovation of Diagnostic Lab and Drug Bank and construction of a separate T.B Follow up Clinic was started. A new Cryofuge unit was introduced in PWA Blood Bank

Patients Welfare Association

2001 Inclusion of new 4th generation automated state of the art screening, ELISA. PWAs drug bank and diagnostic laboratory were completely renovated. A separate T.B Follow up Clinic was started. Proper General Follow up Clinic was started. A fully automatic clinical chemistry analyzer was purchased. Newly constructed Blood fractionation unit replaced the old facility. 2002 Drug bank services increased catering 6 requests per ward each day 2003 Two new departments were set up Media Communication and Follow-up Clinics Doctors library was constructed in Civil Hospital by PWA volunteers and inaugurated on 5th September 2003. The project of blood bank renovation and expansion was undertaken. Estimated cost of the project about Rs. 8 million. Billboard for the appeal of Zakat and donation was put up throughout the city. 2004 Implementation of the modified forms of DOTS in the TB Follow-up Clinic. Introduction of Liver function tests in the PWA diagnostic laboratory in October. 2005 Expansion of services in all departments. 2006 Renovation and installation of latest techniques in the Blood Bank, due to increasing requests of the patients Drug Bank began to cater to unlimited requests per day. 2007 Automated Blood Coagulation Analyzer was purchased. 2008 All Blood Bank records were computerized. 2009 The Lab adopted a new Laboratory Management Software (LMS) that enables the test results to flow directly from the diagnostic equipment to the reporting computer.

Patients Welfare Association

OBJECTIVE:
"WE FEEL, WE SERVE," THEIR EXISTENCE DEPENDS ON SERVICE TO THE UNDERPRIVILEGED SEGMENT OF SOCIETY. The Karachi Civil Hospital is the largest Government health care facility of the city. Thousands of patients visit the hospital daily. Most of these people belong to low socio-economic class and are not capable of bearing the burden of basic medical facilities. Three students of Dow Medical College realized this situation and struggled for better health facilities for the poor patients of Civil Hospital. Their struggles led them to the foundation of Patients Welfare Association (PWA) in 1979. The occurrences of death of patients on a daily basis because of not having enough money to buy medical facilities is very heart touching and this led the three students to start PWA. At its origin, PWA was a single cabinet of medicines. Today, PWA is the largest student run non-governmental and non-political organization in Pakistan. It is run solely by the students of Dow Medical College on voluntary basis. All the services provided by PWA are free of cost, and PWA has manages to account for every rupee that it is handed. All workers at PWA are medical students of Dow Medical College who volunteer their strength and time for the benefit of those who need it the most.

Organization Structure:
The structure of the PWA comprises of the following departments, each with one goal - to feel and to serve. The working departments include: Follow up Clinics comprising of THALASSAEMIA FOLLOW-UP General Follow Up T.B. Follow Up In addition, the supporting departments ensure that the working departments run in a smooth fashion. These include: Administration and Planning Media Communication Publications Records and Registration.

Patients Welfare Association

Administration and Planning

The department of Administration and planning by coordinating with all the other departments of PWA, and organizing events and generating funds, plays a vital role in the overall success of the organization. It is also responsible to formulate and execute effective ways of fund raising all year round to ensure the smooth running of all the departments of PWA and the facilities provided by them. The activities that took place during November 2011 to April 2012 are as follows: PWAs 32nd Annual General Body Meeting was held on 3rd November 2011, it was attended by many honorable personalities. Chief Guest for the event was Mr. S.M. Muneer , Chairman, Din Group of Industries. Thalassemia Day Care Centre an extension of PWAs Thalassemia Services was also inaugurated on the same day. A donor conference was held in January 2012 on the platform of Korangi Association of Trade & Industry, where PWA via multimedia presentation to project and promote PWAs cause. Awareness and fund generation campaigns were held in Dawood public School, Merit n Merit Coaching Centre, Doctors Inn, Mak Collegiate and Bright Success Coaching Centre. The mega event Bake Sale 2012 was held on 14th March 2012 .A record breaking fund generation of Rs 17,13,490/- was made on this occasion. And dynamic, dedicated team who worked day and night to make this event a success. Furthermore campaigns such as the Zakat Campaign, schools, colleges and university campaigns are carried out round the year and stalls are set up at different exhibitions. Besides fund raising, the purpose of conducting these campaigns is to promote awareness among masses and encourage students to come forward and work for the welfare of the society. Collecting more funds than last year, and setting up a new record, the young student volunteers proved that with their humanitarian spirit, teamwork and determination, unthinkable goals can be achieved. This department also organizes the Annual General Body Meeting at the end of the fiscal year.

Media and Communications

The Department of Media Communications is working to the general public at large, by utilizing various electronic, print and social media outlets. The department provides maximum exposure of the organization to the general masses so that people become aware of the activities carried out at PWA and the difficulties that are faced due to lack of funds.

Patients Welfare Association

The activities are publicized through advertisements in newspapers for Zakat and donations, by placement of billboards and roadside banners in various localities of the city and through shows on radio and television channels. Using the various means of communication, following efforts were made to project the cause of PWA to all factions of the society from November 2011 to April 2012: The Annual General Body Meeting of PWA took place on 3rd November 2011.The event was widely covered by both electronic and print media including Dawn News, Express News and other channels. An awareness campaign was conducted by PWA for doctors of Civil Hospital Karachi (CHK ) in the month of December with the following objectives: Stress the importance of blood component therapy. Refocusing the need of PWA Diagnostic Lab in CHK. Highlighting PWA Drug Bank and Thalassemia Services. PWA volunteers attended conferences in Karachi and Islamabad: 12-13 Dec 2012:Donor Policy and Blood Safety in Islamabad, organized by National Blood Transfusion Program & GFA Consulting. 5th Jan 2012: Conference at Korangi Association of Trade and Industries. The Official documentary and Zakat appeal video of PWA was prepared on a complimentary basis in the month of March .Efforts are being made to get them aired on various TV channels. The annual fundraiser Bake Sale was held on the 14th March 2012.The publicized by Geo Tv,Duniya TV,Samaa TV,Jang and other TV channels and newspapers.

Publication Report
The Department of Publication is an important department of PWA as it links PWA with the public. This department prints and publishes all the written material which includes one page introduction, posters and banners, greeting cards and brochures. It also looks after the printing of request & report forms, registration cards, letterheads etc. Required in the working of various departments, is also the responsibility of the Department of Publications

Records and Registration Report

The department of records and registration keeps the record of all the services rendered by PWA for patient care, ensuring transparent working of all its departments. A great achievement of recent years is the computerization of Blood Bank records. The department of records and registration is responsible for maintenance of records of every department of PWA i.e. drug bank, blood bank, diagnostic laboratory and follow-up clinics. It also informs all those blood donors who are screened positive for HBsAg, HCV or VDRL by dispatching those screening reports. The blood donors who screen positive for HIV are informed personally and are properly counseled. This is of mutual importance, because timely diagnosis and awareness makes a world of a difference in the patients lives. Zakat letters are dispatched before the month of Ramadan to our generous donors as a part of the Zakat campaign.

10

Patients Welfare Association

Follow-Up Department
PWA Follow-Up Department came into existence in 2003. This department is now working hand in hand with the Diagnostic Laboratory, the Blood Bank and the Drug Bank and it provides treatment to its patients, completely Free of Cost. The Follow-Up Department has the following sub departments: 1. GENERAL FOLLOW-UP: This clinic provides free of cost drug treatment to patients suffering from chronic diseases like hypertension, diabetes, asthma, hypertension, epilepsy, CLD, SLE etc. 2. TUBERCULOSIS FOLLOW-UP: This follow-up clinic has served more than 3000 Tuberculosis patients free of cost. At present, this department is providing consultations by qualified T.B Specialist, anti-tuberculosis therapy, diagnostic x-rays and other medications to registered patients of Tuberculosis. 3. THALASSAEMIA FOLLOW-UP: PWA Thalassemia follow-up is for children suffering from Thalassemia. It has registered patients to whom PWA provides screened blood and necessary medications free of cost. PWA has taken the task of establishing its Thalassemia Day Care Center. This center will provide blood transfusions and essential drugs and consultation and individual care by expert doctors. It will also provide the facility of regular diagnostic tests including, CBC Ferritin, LFT and Antibody screening test which are necessary for the proper management of thalassemia patients.

Blood Bank
The PWA Blood Bank was established in 1982 when it was felt that an overwhelming majority of professional blood donors were mostly drug addicts and carriers of various transmittable diseases. The bank started with daily output of 3 bags in 1982, to a current output of over 250 blood bags per day. PWA Blood Bank is answering requests from all over the Karachi and provides blood free of cost on exchange basis. The blood that PWA provides is healthy and is screened and cross matched with its components to the patients, totally free of cost. Today PWA Blood Bank is the largest and most reputed blood banks in Pakistan registered under the Sindh Transfusion of Safe Blood Act, 1997 and is the only functional Blood Bank at civil hospital Karachi, working 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. To maintain the promise of PWA Blood Bank each blood bag which passes through goes through a strict process of screening for Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, Syphilis, Malaria and HIV I and II. PWA Blood Bank also provides different components of blood including manual units of platelets, packed cells and fresh frozen plasma.

11

Patients Welfare Association

In 2008 PWA started the facility of providing mega unit of platelets (concentrated form of platelets) only for civil hospital. These mega units of platelets are required for the patients suffering from dengue, aplastic anemia and for people undergoing chemotherapy. A single process of Mega Unit costs around RS. 10,000 but at PWA, the facility is provided absolutely free of cost. PWA Blood Bank is different than other Blood Banks in Pakistan, that it provides blood on exchange basis without taking a single rupee for screening and cross matching. All expenses of PWA are covered from zakat and donations.

Voluntary Blood Donation Camps

It is difficult to express in words, the feeling of pride and self-contentment that emerges through ones heart, by giving a priceless treasure from ones possession to those who are deprived of it. No money appreciation or applause can reward the noble act of giving blood to save the lives of those in need. PWA has been actively working under its blood transfusion services department to help the needy patients get screened blood free of charge. This humble cause would never have been achieved without the cooperation of generous blood donors who have actively helped us during various voluntary blood collection camps set up by PWA in different parts of the city. Over the past 6 months PWA has conducted several such camps in collaboration with universities and other institutes. With an encouraging response, more than 150 bags were donated by voluntary blood donors at these camps that facilitated patients requiring frequent blood transfusion

Drug Bank
PWA has a full-fledged pharmacy in Civil Hospital Karachi answering to the request of a huge number of patients free of cost. Moreover it caters to the need of more than 400 registered patients of PWA follow up Clinics and Thalassemia Services. Also the drug bank provides free drugs to patients in other hospitals who are really in need of the medicine. PWA started with the drug bank in 1979 as a single cabinet of medicines for an increasing number of patients who could not afford to buy lifesaving medicines. Since then, it has been facilitating the patients of civil hospital by providing them with required medications and expensive injections etc. This drug bank allows the students of DOW Medical College to save the lives of hundreds of patients. It is through the support of the donors that PWA is able to bridge the gap between affordability and need of patients.

12

Patients Welfare Association

PWA Diagnostic Laboratory

Since 1986,PWA Diagnostic Laboratory has been providing free of cost baseline investigations to deserving patients of Civil Hospital Karachi(CHK).It has always been PWAs aim to facilities CHK in providing quality health-care facilities to patients who flock to its doors everyday .Considering the smooth functioning of a government lab at CHK for the past two years, PWA Diagnostic Laboratory decided to refocus its facilities from January 2012 and is currently providing Complete Blood Count with peripheral film study by a Consultant Hematologist to the needy patients admitted at CHK. The PWA Diagnostic Laboratory is also Catering to registered patients of PWA Thalassemia Services by providing baseline hematologic and biochemical investigation. Month November 11 December 11 January 12 February 12 March 12 April 12 Total Number of Tests 7294 2416 676 1601 1913 968 14,868

Thalassemia services
Today, there are 90,000 to 100,000 patients suffering from thalassemia in Pakistan. For many, hailing from the rural areas, or lover classes, where illiteracy and poverty go hand in hand ,the staggering cost incurred in this treatment puts an end to all hopes of a normal life. This is where patients Welfare Association (WA) serves as a beacon of hope to all those unfortunate souls who have to go through the above suffering .Providing blood to these destitute souls since 1982 from its Blood Bank ,PWA rose to address the comprehensive treatment requirements of thalassemia patents in Civil Hospital Karachi in March 2011 with its Thalassemia Services Department starting a transfusion facility and medical checkups along with provision of medicines to 90 registered patients. Later the facility was expanded as part of a public private enterprise and another 185 patients were registered in November 2012.Today, The Thalassemia Day Care Centre managed by PWA Thalassemia Services caters to total of 275 patients on a regular basis, providing them with free blood transfusion, diagnostic test as well as checkups spending more than 18 Million rupees annually. Unfortunately, however, only the initial 90 registered patients are currently being provided with free medication including iron

13

Patients Welfare Association

chelation therapy, which is quite costly. Sadly, due to low funds and the expensive role of iron chelation therapy and other drugs, the remaining 185 patients cannot be provided with medication and await your help! Currently, the Thalassemia Day Care Centre has two Transfusion Halls with total of 22 Transfusion beds, a Clinic and an Emergency room, which is supplied with Cardiac Monitor and life-saving drugs. With the presence of a Consultant Hematologist, Medical Officer and nursing staff, the Centre is playing an important part in improving the lives of these patients. With many others in need of help, there is no time to be lost. Every life is precious and worth saving and here is where you and we need to come forward. The lingering smiles on their faces at the end of a blood transfusion seem to make up for all the years of pain and darkness, if even for a moment. PWA needs your support and donations to provide these patients with free medicines and to continue providing these patients with free blood bags and transfusion services.

Sources of Funds
Patients Welfare Association is a charitable organization that is working for the benefit of the low social income class patients that come to Civil Hospital to get medical aid. These patients are from such poor backgrounds that they are unable to afford the drugs that are required in their treatments or the medical procedures that are a part of the treatment. Many are such that they cannot even afford a bag of blood in case of need. So the initiative of Patients Welfare Association that was taken in 1979 was to give relief to such patients who either stop their treatment midway because they cannot afford it or they even die because of lack of funds. To give them medical aid free of cost, the main problem was the generation of funds. For any charitable organization the biggest challenge is the generation of funds. This is because they give all the service free of cost so they do not get any income form the patients themselves which creates a wide gap between the funds that are required to run such an organization and the funds that are readily available. To fill this gap Patients Welfare Association have a number of ways through which they generate their funds in order to keep helping the poor patients that come to Civil Hospital Karachi. Patients Welfare Association is an organization that is run by the students so they are the key players who help generate funds for the organization. Following are the main ways in which funds are generated.

Annual Bake Sale

This annual bake sale is conducted every year by the first year students of DOW medical college Karachi which is adjacent to Civil Hospital. It is a legacy that has been carried out each year. This bake sale is the major source of funding for the Patients Welfare Association. In this bake

14

Patients Welfare Association

sale there are different stalls of handmade decorations, handmade jewelry, cards, books, food stalls, game stalls, mehndi, nail art, face paintings and what not. The bake sale of 2012 was held on March 14, 2012 at civil hospital Karachi. Mr. Mehtab Uddin Chawla, CEO of Al-Karam Towel Industries, was the chief guest of the occasion. Many other media icons Like Hina Dilpazir, Faisal Qureshi also became the part of this event. Media coverage is also given to this event as to create more and more awareness about this association. Students of DOW medical college every year put in a lot of effort in the bake sale. There are stalls of homemade food item that are cooked by the students themselves, cards, bookmarks, jewelries, and handicrafts are also made by the students. Items that are not sold by the end of the bake sale are auctioned to the people attending the event which boosts the amount of money that is collected during the bake sale. Number of bakeries, restaurants and other outlets also sponsor the event and give them complimentary food items to be sold at the bake sale which helps in increasing the sales at the bake sale. This year the bake sale managed to generate a magnificent amount of Seventeen lacs, Thirteen Thousand, Four Hundred and Ninety Rupees which was all due to the hard work and effort of the student of DOW medical college.

Zakat Campaign
A part of their funds are also generated through zakat campaigns that are started before the month of Ramadan is about to start. Zakat is a major part of funds that are generated by the Patients Welfare Association, as Ramadan is the time when almost everyone pays zakat. The families of the students that are a part of Patients Welfare Association and the friends and acquaintances also give part of their zakat money to PWA. Many media campaigns are run at this time to make people aware about this association and the work that they do for the patients of the Civil Hospital. Their official documentary and zakat appeal video is also run on many channels as to motivate more and more people to give their zakat to PWA. Their fund generation from zakat in 2011 was Rupees, 28,494,363.

Donations
Patients Welfare Association have many regular donors also that throughout the year contribute to this cause by making frequent donation. These regular donors are mostly the family of the volunteers that work at PWA and the past alumni of DOW medical college and many others. Also a part of these regular donors are those people who are a part of sponsorship schemes of PWA. At PWA they have three sponsorships schemes which are: Sponsor a thalasemic Sponsor a blood bag Sponsor a T.B patient

15

Patients Welfare Association

The idea behind sponsoring a thalasemic patient is that one person or family take responsibility of the medical expenditure of a thalasemic patient, by doing this they pay for all their medical treatments, blood transfusions and drug requirements. The idea behind sponsoring a T.B patient is that one person or family takes responsibility of the medical expenditure of a T.B patient including all their treatments and blood requirements. Since blood in required everyday by a number of patients for different purposes so having enough inventory of all types of blood groups is also very difficult for blood bank at PWA, so it is not only necessary that you donate to PWA by money but you can also donate by means of donating your blood to the blood bank so that they have screened blood readily available for the patients of the Civil Hospital. The student of Patients Welfare Association also put stalls at various events held in the expo center for example the Expo Book Exhibition from which they not only generate funds but also create awareness about their association in the masses.

Souvenir
Souvenir is an annual publication of Patients Welfare Association, every page of this newsletter is heavily sponsored by pharmaceutical companies and many others so this is also a major source of their funds. They have one more publication by the name of Qasid which is also a sponsored newsletter through which PWA generates a part of their funds.

Allocation of Funds
The allocation of funds at PWA is on the basis of the requirement of each functional unit. The allocation of funds is the job of the treasury of PWA. The expenditure on their major functional units is given below.
Drug Bank

Month November11 December11 January12 Feburary12 March12 April12 Total *All expenditures are in Pak. Rupee

No. Of Requests 745 829 952 939 896 724 5,085

Total Expenditure* 263,225 207,979 205,961 179,704 160,869 164,726 1,182,464

16

Patients Welfare Association Follow-Up Clinic

Month November11 December11 January12 Feburary12 March12 April12 Total *All expenditures are in Pak. Rupee

Expenditure* 242,409 246,330 217,241 267,026 262,837 272,513 1,508,356

Thalassemia Services

Month November11 December11 January12 Feburary12 March12 April12 Total *All expenditures are in Pak. Rupee

Expenditure 1,320,985 1,211,378 1,298,566 1,172,770 1,213,338 1,666,781, 7,883,818

They also have number of other expenses such as salaries and allowances, postage, printing and stationary, ambulances, depreciation of the equipment in the laboratories. Their least focus is to the media expenses because that is done mostly on complimentary basis by the TV and radio channels. They have awareness shows on the blood donation day and various other health days on many channels but that is most of the time unpaid media appearances.

Plans of Future Expansion

Expansion is an ongoing process at PWA as they try to cater to as many needy patients as possible. They recently expanded their Thalassemia Day Care Center where they give blood transfusions to children during the day time. This wing emerged in June 2011, with 90 registered patients; PWAs Thalassemia Services is providing regular consultations by a qualified hematologist, screened blood, transfusion facility, medicines including iron chelating agents and laboratory investigations, to all its registered patients completely free of cost. The expansion of this department under public private partnership in November 2011 has helped provide quality health care to 185 more patients taking the total number of registered patients to 275.

17

Patients Welfare Association

Future Outlook
They further plan to aspire to achieve ISO certification, which is an international benchmark for quality management. The fulfillment of this objective requires a further increase of Rupees 3.5 Lacs in the annual expenditure.

Conclusion
PWA is an association that is run by the students of DOW Medical College. These students work hard day in and day out, without any personal benefit or salary just to provide quality health care to the patients who cannot afford such medical treatments and medicines. It is with their endless efforts that PWA is now catering to hundreds of patients that come to Civil Hospital every day.

18