Our flagship project
Umeed (Hope) Hospital, Murid, Chakwal
A hospital for the families of Murid and the villages of District Chakwal, where no one has to pay for care at the point of delivery.
A vision becoming reality
Umeed (Hope) Hospital is the vision of two brothers, Haji Murid Sultan (late) and Haji Taleh Mehdi. Its foundation stone was laid on 19 June 2005, and building began in January 2006 to a detailed plan for a modern, well-equipped hospital.
The land for the hospital was donated by Haji Taleh Mehdi, and construction is funded mainly through our trading activities. Donations from supporters are used mostly to run the hospital and to hold free medical and eye camps.
District Chakwal is home to around 1.5 million people, about 81% of whom live in rural areas. For many of them, Umeed (Hope) Hospital is the nearest place to get free care.
- Giving free eye care since
- 2003
- Patients served at Umeed (Hope) Hospital
- 60,000+
- Beds now operational, with two theatres
- 40
- Of cash donations reach people in need
- 100%
The hospital today
40 beds open, and growing
The 40-bed facility has two operating theatres, one for eye surgery, a pharmacy and a fully equipped laboratory. A weekly cataract surgery list runs under our eye surgeon, Dr Gulzar, alongside free GP clinics with male and female doctors.
Eye care and vision
Eye examinations, sight tests and weekly cataract surgery lists.
General and family healthcare
Free GP clinics with male and female doctors.
Dialysis care
Dialysis and renal-care support for patients in need.
Laboratory and diagnostics
Haematology, clinical chemistry, blood gas analysis, microscopy and culture.
Maternal and child health
Care for mothers and children, with pre-natal services as the next target.
Community health camps
Free medical and eye camps that reach villages without transport.
Pharmacy and medicines
A pharmacy run by a certified pharmacist, with essential medicines free.
Ambulance services
Three ambulances bring patients from remote villages to the hospital.
Clinics
Free eye care and primary healthcare
Free eye care clinic
To provide free eye treatment and eye care to people with few resources, and to take these services to areas with little or no regular healthcare.
Free healthcare clinic
To provide 24-hour emergency ambulance services across the district, free dispensaries, wheelchairs and crutches, family planning counselling and pre-natal care. Pre-natal care is our next target.
Ambulances
Bringing patients to care
General-purpose ambulance
Small enough for narrow village streets, it collects patients who need cataract operations.
Emergency ambulance
Fully equipped for acute illness or injury, it takes patients to hospitals for secondary and tertiary care.
Community ambulance
An air-conditioned 16-seater that brings patients from remote camps for free cataract operations, then home again.
Diagnostics and pharmacy
Tests and medicines on site
Our diagnostics centre offers haematology, clinical chemistry, blood gas analysis, and microscopy and culture. We plan to add cytology and biopsy, ECG, echocardiography, exercise tolerance testing and digital radiography.
The pharmacy is run by a certified pharmacist and stocks the medicines our patients need. As the hospital grows, we intend to open it 24 hours a day.
Annual Health Mela
A free health check for everyone who comes
Each year between March and August, the hospital holds a Health Mela: free blood pressure, blood sugar, cholesterol and sight tests for over 1,000 people. It is funded entirely by our Chairman and his family, not by charity donations.
Our medical teams also run free camps across Pakistan and Azad Kashmir. Last year they reached:
- Patients screened at our camps last year
- 5,000
- Sight tests
- 2,800
- Cataract operations
- 99
- Pairs of reading glasses given
- 385
The future
Towards a 100-bed hospital
The full plan is for 100 beds, with departments added as funds allow: maternity, emergency, diagnostics, dental, surgical, medical, and gynaecology and obstetrics. We also plan telemedicine links with doctors in the UK, and a three-year nursing school with a skills lab, library and lecture theatre.
“I’m very happy that Umeed (Hope) Hospital is able to help so many people, and this was all made possible by your help and donations. Together we can give the gift of good health to so many families.”
Give today
Keep the hospital running
100% of public donations for this project go to Umeed (Hope) Hospital.
The Al-Ain promise
Every pound you give goes to patients
Our administration costs are covered entirely by our trading activities, so 100% of cash donations help those in need.