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SINDHI ASSOCIATION OF NORTH AMRICA-CANADA

GREATER TORONTO AREA (GTA) CHAPTER

REPORT ON

DISTRIBUTION OF MEDICAL EQUIPMENT

By: Sarfraz Gahothi  

The health delivery system, especially in public sector hospitals in the Sindh province has always been in terrible shape, and in dire need of proper equipment to meet the flow of patients who largely rely on the poor treatment facilities available in government hospitals. The patients in emergency, and even with critical illness only receive a sub standard hospital bed and cannot get proper treatment. Sindhi especially from rural areas can feel the pain of this dreadful situation. Patients can be found on hospital floors with their belongings and waiting for months to get a place and some of them die on the floor before getting treatment. Poor doctor-patient ratio has been only one aspect, but a more significant factor has been lacking and deficient hospital equipment ranging from beds to minor things like sterilizer. Operation theatres lack proper instruments, and laboratories are deficient of diagnostic apparatus. The situation is not only prevalent in rural areas, but it is strikingly visible in the tertiary health care facilities like teaching hospitals attached with medical Universities and Colleges.

In the history of SANA, Toronto chapter took the lead and went a step forward in helping needy people of Sindh by successfully arranging, shipping, and distributing a charitable donation of medical aid in the form of medical equipment .The equipments were arranged with the help of the Consul General of Pakistan, Toronto, Mr. Ghalib Iqbal and donated in full by Mr. Dil Mohammad, a well-known Pakistani community figure. The aid includes Mechanical/Electrical and Intensive Care Beds, Computerized/digital Electrocardiograms, Auto-Clave Analog/ Digital, and Stretchers. The total value of the donated equipments was assessed as CDN $275,000.00.Association of Human survival and Safety of Environment (AHSASE), an NGO endeavouring on alleviating human suffering of poor people in Sindh undertook the responsibility of receiving, clearing, and distribution of the equipment according to the directions of SANA (CANADA) GTA and with close coordination of IDRF.

On April 17^th, 2004 from London, Ontario the equipments were shipped to Sindh in a 40 feet container, where Mr. Kassim Ebrahim of IDRF, Mr. Dil Mohammad of Pharm Inc. (Donor), Dr. Mashood Qazi and my self were present and helped in loading the container. The equipments were received on June 30^th 2004 at Karachi port. After necessary custom clearance and other formalities the equipments were moved to Hyderabad and stored in a warehouse. As reported by AHSASE, the equipments were found in good condition except for some minor damages to few.

LONDON, ONTARIO, CANADA

Loading of Equipments In Container

The first batch of equipment was provided to Taluka Headquarter Hospital Sehwan and was received by Dr. M. Moinuddin Siddique, Medical Superintendent. The second batch was handed over to Liaquat University of Medical and Health Sciences and the donation was received and acknowledged by Professor Jan Mohammad Memon, Vice Chancellor of the University. The third and fourth batch of equipment was distributed to Peoples Medical College, Nawabshah, and Civil Hospital Dadu and was received and acknowledged by Principal PMC and Civil Surgeon, Civil Hospital Dadu, respectively. The details of Distribution are as follows,

Equipment Distribution Table

AHSASE has provided complete report with relevant certificates; statements of expenditure occurred and are further committed to send feed back from hospitals medical staff for the performance of the equipments as well as benefits gained by the patients. AHSASE conveyed the gratitude of the management of the recipient hospitals to SANA (CANADA) GTA, IDRF, Pharm Inc. Canada, and deep regards and warm feelings of the concerned people through individual letters of Thanks sent by them. This project is now completed

SINDH PHOTOGRAPHS

Equipment delivered and used in Sindh hospitals

We are confident enough and hope that we will continue to support and serve our poor Sindhi fellows and provide help in whatever way possible in our goal to benefit them while sitting thousands of miles away. SANA (CANADA) GTA Chapter is fully committed to the vision and objectives set out by our present EC and the entire Sindhi community of this great country called Canada.

Long Live Sindh, Long Live Canada

Regards and Best Wishes to all

Sarfraz Gahothi

General Secretary,

GTA Chapter, Canada

Newsletter Malir (Acrobat)

Sindhi Association of North America (SANA)-CANADA Chapter

TORONTO

Annual Get-together and local chapter formation -2003

Parties and social gatherings has always been a great exasperation, but to attend a get-together of SANA, it is not only a privilege, but it gave me a chance to get in touch with Sindhi people and Sindh.  To see the bright faces of Sindhi youths expressing their love for the Sindhi language and culture warms my heart.  It gives me hope that my culture will be carried on through our children to future generations and will be preserved for ages to come.  This is why I express the importance of social gatherings between Sindhi families.  It is a time for everyone to meet people of their own language and take a break from their regular English speaking lives.  In a country where your own people are difficult to find, SANA has created an amazing amount of people that can relate to each other.  So, when I got an invitation to attend a get-together where all Sindhi’s living throughout Ontario were going to gather, I was thrilled.   

In spite of rumours, speculations, and extremely cold weather, a large number of new and old families participated.  The regional secretary of SANA Canada Mr. Fazal Patoli called the meeting, and the arrangements were made by the former members of Council, and with Saeen Abdul Razak Khushk, who arranged for the large Community Hall situated in the beautiful city of Mississauga.  The participants arrived on scheduled time (with some being fashionably late) to express their allegiance to Sindh and its people.  The Meeting Hall was full of chatter and the smell of delicious food, which was brought in by members.

Upon arrival, everybody was asked to fill out nomination forms for the election of council members and leaders for 2003.  Surprisingly, it was first time in the history of the Toronto Chapter that a great number of nominations forms were received and the nominees, for highly competitive positions, introduced themselves.

The participants were welcomed by former council member Saeen Shahnawaz Shah (Former Regional Sec), Saeen Fazal Patoli (New Regional Sec), members of the election committee, Mr. Syed Ali Hyder and Mr. Shahnawaz Shaikh.  They also explained the purpose of annual get-togethers and during the meeting, members openly asked questions about the role of SANA for the welfare of Sindhi’s.  Other concerns included the performance and mishaps of the former executive council.  New members asked more questions about the effective role of the Toronto Chapter and SANA as a whole.  Saeen Shahnawaz Shah explained the present situation and the performance of the former council.  He asked the new members to focus on socialization and get-togethers of Sindhi’s due to limited resources.  He invited the members to show their interest to participate in new council elections and contribute in activities.

The election committee conducted the election according to the Bylaws of SANA.  They declared the list of candidates, filled nomination forms, and according to the list, they affirmed that all candidates, with the exception of General Secretary and Vice President, were unopposed.  Afterwards, the candidates for General Secretary and Vice President were asked to present speeches in front of other members to explain their views and ideas for SANA (as well as some formal humour). 

The nominees for Vice President (Mr. Abdul Rahim Khatri, Mr. Ratnani Deleep), and for General Secretary (Mr. Sarfraz Gahothi, Mr Khuwaja Zulfiqar Ali) addressed members with their views on how they will play an effective role for SANA.  Even though the noise level was high and there was much commotion, the candidates still got their message across to the members.  The main point expressed was the unification of all Sindhis on “one platform”.  Other points included their background skills, experience, and other information.  The results of the election attached show a huge panel of contest as compared to previous panels, which were mostly nominated and not elected.

The list of the candidates elected unopposed were as follows:

The nominations for the following posts were as follows:

                 Vice President                                       General Secretary

               Abdul Rahim Khatri                                         Sarfraz Gahothi

                  Deleep Ratnani                                        Zulfiqar Ali Khowaja

Therefore, the election for the above posts were carried out and the results of the voting were as follows:

The votes were counted in presence of the election commission. Their peers cheered them on as Mr. Abdul Rahim Khatri was declared Vice President and Mr. Sarfraz Gahothi as General Secretary.  The candidates met with the members and were congratulated.  (Gahothi! Gahothi! Gahothi! and Khatri! Khatri! Khatri!)

At the end of the election, the winning Vice President and General Secretary once again were asked to give their thoughts and regards to members which elected them as well as the members who participated.  Once again, the noise was relentless; nevertheless they spoke loudly and got their message through.

The new President also thanked the members and invited Appa Shaikh (mother of Abdul Rahman Shaikh) and Appa Fatima Qazi (mother of Mr. Mashood Qazi) to speak.

Appa Shaikh emphasized on all Sindhis to unite them selves and live with love and caring.  She asked all members to work for humanity, make discipline a top priority, and familiarize their children with Sindhi culture and traditions. 

At the end, Appa Fatima Qazi expresses her feelings about Sindh and offered her prayers and blessings.  Everyone was asked to do Dua, which made the boisterous room quiet and peaceful.  The meeting ended and the evening’s dinner commenced.  Dinner included kabobs, briyani, and korma.  After dinner chai, ice cream, cake and pudding were served to sweeten the mood. 

Also, games for children were arranged and gifts were distributed.  This provided the only bit of silence as they opened their gifts, and once again, initiated to even more screaming and laughter.  Some of the games included were musical chairs (with traditional Sindhi music of course), hot potato (batata), and ring around the Rosie’s.

Overall, the evening was filled with much excitement, enthusiasm, delicious food, sweet deserts, hot chai, (old fashioned Sindhi gossip), and was one not to be missed. 

SAEEN MA SADAEEN KAREEN SINDH MATHAY SUKAAR

DOST TOON DILDAR, ALAM SABH ABAD KAREEN 

                                                                        -Shah Latif

Regards

Sarfraz Gahothi

General Secretary

SANA – CANADA, Toronto

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