RAWALPINDI: Al-Shifa Eye Trust Hospital documented 1600 pediatric eye cancer incidences in single year while 400 children with eye cancer were successfully treated at the hospital during this time.
Talking to media persons on Friday, Pediatric Oncologist of Al-Shifa, Dr. Tanzeela Farah said that every stage, from evaluation to chemotherapy, was carried out under one roof at the Al-Shifa Trust Eye Hospital Rawalpindi. This facility was exclusive to it, she added.
She informed that the eye cancer centre has 1600 youngsters registered and that as more people become aware of the significance of the issue, the number of patients was rising.
Pakistan was seeing an alarming rise in pediatric eye cancer cases when compared to other nations of the region, she added.
Dr. Tanzeela Farah said that the occurrence of eye cancer needs early detection, diagnosis, and proper treatment and added that almost 30 percent of eye cancer patients are children, which was a big challenge for us.
She said timely detection could save a child’s sight. However, in case of failure to consult an expert, most eye cancer patients may suffer vision loss or loss of an eye, or it may prove fatal in some cases.
The Pediatric Oncologist of the hospital further stated that the treatment of eye cancer was a lengthy and very costly process. Still, Al-Shifa is determined to treat poor patients free of charge with the help of experts and the latest apparatus.
After chemotherapy, follow-up sessions continue every six months; the patients are observed for 5 to 7 years, she said, adding that eye cancer is sometimes diagnosed at birth and that we are fully equipped to treat children from zero to 15 years old.
Dr Tanzeela Farah said that most of the children who have eye cancer belong to low-income families living in remote areas, and their parents ware unaware of the specialised facilities needed to provide proper treatment. The eye cancer needs more time and effort to be treated, she said.
It was pertinent to mention that Al-Shifa Trust has set up a chain of five eye hospitals of international standard in the last three decades, including those in Rawalpindi, Kohat, Sukkur, Muzaffarabad, and Chakwal. Al-Shifa Rawalpindi was Asia’s biggest children’s eye hospital.
At its Rawalpindi location, Al-Shifa Trust also manages the largest children’s eye facility in Asia.
