GSK Pakistan - Working in the Community

Working with the Community

Partnering with the National Commission for Human Development for Primary Healthcare Extension

The National Commission for Human Development (NCHD) was a step initiated by the President of Pakistan to conceive innovative strategies for social reformation with focus on sustainable human development (through education, adult literacy, reducing population growth rate, capacity building, improving infant/maternal mortality rates etc).

GSK Pakistan has provided a grant of £144,000 sterling (Rs.12.96 million) to the NCHD "Primary Healthcare Extension Program" making GSK the largest corporate donor to this cause. The purpose of this grant is to contribute at the grass root level towards healthcare improvement of the Pakistani people. The great thing about the primary healthcare extension program is that it will be implemented in the areas generally recognized as difficult to access, hence often neglected due to harsh terrain, high levels of illiteracy and confined social setups.

The four areas demanding attention include Mansehra, Rahim Yar Khan, Thatta and Pishin. As a result of this program, we hope to give 500 households consisting of 200,000 persons, their right to basic healthcare. This makes GSKP the largest corporate donor, with the funds aimed at helping set up 40 healthcare units in underdeveloped areas across Pakistan. This GSK's involvement in the project came to an end in October 2006 and the results following a comparison with baseline data have proved to be very encouraging.

If the findings of baseline and post intervention census are compared, it is found that parents knowledge on importance of various interventions has markedly improved:

immunization has improved from 40 to 94%; growth monitoring from 24 to 92%; recognition of dehydration from 22 to 86%; preparation of Oral Rehydration Solution from 12 to 89%; recognition of Acute Respiratory Tract Infection from 27 to 81%; importance of antenatal and postnatal care from 19 to 83 %; on child spacing from 19 to 81%; and on prevention of tuberculosis from 22 to 82%.

Concern For Children Trust (CFC)

The Concern For Children Trust (CFC) is a non profit, non government trust established in 1997. Their mission is to promote the health and welfare of the Children of Pakistan, paying special attention to preventive and primary healthcare, education, infrastructure, maintenance and support and to create general awareness about various child healthcare issues.

The Trust is partially self-sustainable in that, its operational costs are covered by a Trust Fund. SmithKline&French to SmithKline and French of Pakistan Limited donated the initial seed money and now GSK Pakistan continues to be the major donor. During the first year of its operations, CFC worked on implementing one short term and two medium term projects in the field of computer literacy, health awareness and skill building programs. CFC has initiated three computer literacy projects with low-income schools across Karachi. These projects came about because of SmithKline Beecham's donation of computers to CFC. Approximately 8000 children have had a chance to use these facilities. In the next year, CFC aims to facilitate replicable pilot projects within the areas of healthcare, development and education, so as to build long term models for sustainable development. Additional organizational long term objectives include CFC's strive to become involved in Legislative Policy matters, serving as a provider of viable solutions and creative alternatives to existing state practices via advocacy.

Currently, CFC is engaged in developing a project in Mohammadi (Macchar) Colony,-one of the most underdeveloped and derelict areas of Karachi. A desperately needed healthcare centre in being set up here for mother and child to provide primary, pre-natal and anti-natal services and health information/education. Approximately 8000 to 10,000 mothers and children annually are expected to be reached through this. A sum of about Rs.4 million is donated by GSK Pakistan for this purpose. Healthcare camps have also been set up after extensive research in different parts of the community. The first healthcare care camps were held in 2000 and continue to be repeated on a three month period. Each camp provides free medical consultations, referrals for treatment and medication; medication for the health awareness camps is provided by GSK.

The Trust for Health and Medical sciences

The Trust For Health and Medical Sciences was established in Pakistan in 1980 as a charitable trust with the objectives to upgrade medical and public health expertise in Pakistan by sponsoring/financing of research and education in the field of medical sciences. To achieve these objectives the initial venture was undertaken in 1983 through the commencement of a charitable clinic in Liaquatabad, Landhi. The Clinic's operational costs are covered by the Trust, which benefits from generous support by GSK. We are proud to say that this clinic since 1983, has treated over 16.5 lac patients and has matured into a large set-up with multiple medical facilities.

Although we cannot replace the functions of governments or charities, we are in an opportune position to support them in some very important ways. In that, we have successfully completed 18 great years of serving a large number of needy people from communities near and far. The Trust has continually received appreciation from social welfare dignitaries and various other quarters of society. A total of over 90,000 patients receive medical attention from the medical facility annually. Patients were also treated at the Diabetics Clinic and were provided laboratory check ups and medication. The Minor Surgery section provided 579 circumcisions in addition to innumerable dressings in cases of minor accident and burns. In addition to the above 2,280 patients received laboratory test facilities and almost 10,559 infants were vaccinated during the year 2000. Recently, the clinic has also commenced a program to counter drug abuse, especially the treatment of Heroin addicts. They are regularly being given medicines and also being carefully counselled.

The Charitable Clinic of Trust operates with a staff of nine members, of which two are qualified doctors. The service is provided at a partly fee of Rs.15 for adults and Rs.5 for children. This is invaluable to underprivileged patients who might otherwise have to choose between medicines and food. The large number of patients who receive medical facilities at the clinic is indicative of the standard of services provided there and has in many instances, actually saved lives.