The Beginning of Relieve Humanity

In July 2012 I was travelling in Karachi Pakistan. Being born and raised in Canada, I usually start my trip with some minor health issues in Pakistan. However, on this trip the health issue was much more pronounced. Much more debilitating. My family took me to the local hospital and after a very quick registration, a doctor was by my side assessing my condition. As I lay there in pain, I heard the doctor telling my brother-in-law that he should quickly go to the pharmacy to buy these medicines and pay the accounts so that the doctor can apply the needed injections to me. This was unusual for me. In Canada we have government-run health coverage. It is not free as many people claim. We pay taxes which goes towards this support. It allows anyone with this coverage to go to any doctor or hospital, show your coverage card (in the province of Ontario it is referred to as OHIP card) and you will be treated for “free”. There is no discussion of money or fees.

As my brother-in-law went to make the payments, the reality of the situation started to set in. As if the pain from the illness wasn’t bad enough, what if I didn’t have money? How would I cope? What if I can’t go back to work for a few days? How will my family eat? In a country like Pakistan, where poverty can be seen everywhere, how do those that are not financially stable seek medical treatment?

I was able to afford treatment and recovered quickly and the rest of my trip went well. But I could not stop thinking how many people do not seek treatment and must live with pain because of they simply can’t afford it.

On July 18, 2012, we launched Relieve Humanity, a registered not-for-profit organization in Ontario Canada. Relieve Humanity then opened Shifa Welfare Free Medical Centre in Orangee, a very poor suburb in Karachi Pakistan and one of the largest poverty regions in the world.

• The Shifa Welfare Free Medical Centre has:
• one medical doctor
• two pharmacists
• open 6 days a week
• open 4 hours a day
• over 140 patients every day
• approximately 3,500 patients every month
• over 75% of patients are women and children

The patients have provided amazing feedback, and most importantly, received medical attention they desperately needed.

• The mission of the clinic is to:
• offer free medical services to everyone
• offer free medicine to the patients
• treat patients with respect and dignity

Cost: The cost of serving one patient, including medicine is approximately $0.45 (forty-five cents). Seems very insignificant, but those 45 cents can be the difference between cure and illness for almost 3,500 patients every month.

This was our beginning. Will you help us to provide basic health care services to those that cannot afford treatment?