PAKISTAN: The Humanitarian Charity Society holds the opening ceremony of the Kuwait Medical Complex (KMC) on Sunday in Pakistan’s northern Skardu city. KMC stands as a state-of-the-art 100-bed hospital located in Skardu city of the Gilgit Blatistan (GB) region aimed at restoring dignity and health to those in need. In his address at the ceremony, Chairman of the Board of Directors Abdul Ilah M R Marafie thanked the people of Kuwait and the government of Pakistan for their support in achieving a significant milestone with the inauguration of KMC.

He said that the foundation has had a profound connection with GB, inspiring them to contribute in education and health to combat poverty. The Chairman recalled the establishment of a hostel in Karachi, Pakistan, to improve access to quality intermediate education for students from GB. “In 2006, we opened our first hospital in Mehdiabad, focusing on women’s health, which continues to serve the community today,’ he added.

The chairman mentioned that the first donor to the KMC was the late Kuwaiti Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, who helped us build the hospital. He thanked the people of Kuwait, the Kuwaiti donors, and the Marafie Foundation Pakistan, who helped in achieving the vision to build the KMC. He also thanked the Pakistani government for allocating 30,000 sq. meter of land for the construction of this much-needed hospital.

“I would like to emphasize that this project will endure as a legacy of the People of Kuwait and our family’s commitment to service. We will continue to support the hospital with dedication, ensuring that it remains a beacon of hope and healing for one and all,” the chairman concluded. The Governor of GB, Syed Mehdi Shah, in his speech on the occasion, thanked the people of Kuwait for serving humanity and assured them of his full support for the smooth functioning of the hospital to provide needy people with the best treatment.

He recalled the groundbreaking ceremony of the hospital in 2014 and appreciated the efforts by the foundation to complete the project despite challenges. He said that people of Pakistan will always remember the kindness and humanitarian aid by the people of Kuwait and the brotherly country. The people of GB will not forget the act of kindness and the gift from the people of Kuwait, as it is one of the largest hospitals in the area.

The inauguration ceremony was attended by Kuwaiti donors, top medical practitioners, politicians, renowned religious scholars, and high ranking officials. A local resident and patient in the hospital, Dilshad Hussain, in a statement to KUNA, praised the hospital management for his free treatment and thanked the people of Kuwait for the medical facility. He prayed for the state of Kuwait to keep on developing and keep on helping people in need. The KMC is built to meet the region’s growing healthcare demands, providing various services such as a modern operation theater, a fully equipped lab, diagnostic services, a pharmacy, and emergency care. — KUNA