Pakistan Foundation Fighting Blindness

INTRODUCTION

The journey of Pakistan Foundation Fighting Blindness (PFFB) began after the fateful meeting of Dr. Salma Maqbool, a Medical Practitioner, and Mr. Zaheer Khalid, a Chartered Accountant in late 1987. In 1974 Dr. Salma Maqbool, was diagnosed with Retinitis Pigmentosa, a genetically transmitted hereditary eye disease leading to blindness. In search of a cure for the disease Dr. Salma traveled to numerous centers of excellence including Dr. Eliot Burson at MIT Boston USA, Dr. Allen Bird at Moorefield Eye Hospital London, Hellen Holtz Eye Hospital Moscow and Dr. D. K. Gahlot at All India Institute of Medical Sciences New Delhi. Meanwhile Mr. Zaheer Khalid was also visiting Ophthalmologists engaged in research on RP in UK and the United States. Dr. Bashir A. Chohan a well-known Ophthalmologist working at an Islamabad Hospital was instrumental in providing the contact addresses of each other to Dr. Salma and Mr. Zaheer Khalid. Following the first encounter, several meetings between these two RP affectees and their families who were no less concerned to work for accessing information about the research work where ever it was taking place, and to develop linkages, with the umbrella organization called International Retinitis Pigmentosa Association (IRPA), which had already came into existence.

DEVELOPMENT PHASES OF PFFB

At the outset, a group of people consisting of the families of Dr. Salma Maqbool and Mr. Zaheer Khalid and Ophthalmologists agreed to form an organization to be called Pakistan Retinitis Pigmentosa Society (PREPS). According to the law of the country, any organization aiming at improving the quality of life of people must be registered as a Non-profit, Non-commercial body. PREPS was registered under the Societies Registration Act, 1860 in March 15th 1988 and later on also registered under the Voluntary Social Welfare Agencies (Registration & Control) Ordinance 1961.

MISSION STATEMENT

“Pakistan Foundation Fighting Blindness (PFFB) has been actively participating in activities to create awareness about the Foundation besides successfully running and maintaining the existing projects within the available human, financial and infra-structural resources”

AIMS & OBJECTIVES:

• To help improve quality of life of partially sighted and Visually Impaired Persons (VIPs) through provision of Education, Training, Assistive Aids and Counseling.​
• To find a cure for hereditary transmitted Retinal degenerative disease known as Retinitis Pigmentosa (RP) and other Retinal Degenerative Diseases in collaboration with National and International organizations and laboratories working within the framework of the “Retina International” of which PFFB is a full member since 1990.
• To be the single preferred platform for coordination & information sharing amongst organizations working on cure and prevention of Retinitis Pigmentosa in Pakistan and be the principal coordinator with international agencies under the framework of Retina International.
• To assist Visually Impaired Persons (VIPs) in any way, which is helpful for them to live with or overcome their impairment.