A Scottish charity has opened a new children's operating theatre in Pakistan that is expected to perform more than 2,000 surgeries each year. The facility, located at the District Headquarter Hospital in Kotli, was delivered by Kids Operating Room, a Dundee-based organization that assembles medical equipment for paediatric facilities in crisis-affected countries.
Impact on Local Population
The operating theatre will serve a population of over 400,000 children in Pakistani-administered Azad Kashmir. Dr Tahir Mehmood, a GP at Blenheim Medical Centre who originally hails from the Kotli region, was instrumental in driving the project forward. He emphasized that the facility would save lives by reducing response times for emergency surgeries.
Dr Mehmood stated: "This project was very close to my heart. I always wanted to do something meaningful for the community I came from. This facility will not only save lives but also reduce the financial burden on parents. Children can now receive specialist care close to home, in a safe and modern environment."
Life-Saving Potential
The GP highlighted a tragic incident that underscored the need for such a facility: "A 15-year-old boy ruptured a major artery in his leg. He was sent four hours away for treatment and died on the way. If this theatre had existed, his life could have been saved." He added that treated children can go on to live full lives, supporting their families and communities.
Charity's Global Reach
The operating theatre in Kotli is one of over 115 paediatric operating rooms installed by Kids Operating Room across 36 countries. Last year, the charity installed six operating theatres in Ukraine, which can function independently of the power grid due to blackouts caused by the ongoing war with Russia. The charity also plans to install facilities in the West Bank.
