St Elizabeth Hospital at the forefront in the country for the care of cancer patients
A Centre for Home-Based Palliative Care has recently opened at St Elizabeth Hospital, in Hyderabad, Pakistan. The Centre provides palliative care to cancer patients with pain control therapy. This is the first experience at a national level.
St Elizabeth Hospital, established in 1958, is a precious institution for the territory of the City of Sindh province, and throughout Pakistan, and "provides the best possible care at the lowest possible cost".
It assists more than 40,000 patients a year, of all religions, Muslims, Hindus and Christians. "And above all takes care of poor families suffering from socio-economic problem, especially those in rural communities," said Columban Fr Robert McCulloch, who spent over 30 years in Pakistan as a missionary priest. He was chairman of the Administration Council of the hospital for many years and has become a proponent of their medical outreach program. Fr Robert McCulloch is the Procurator General for St Columbans Mission Society and now resides in Rome.
Fr Robert continued, "Catholic doctors and nurses establish relations of cordiality and good will among the people. And thanks to the care and the work of the hospital, the Church of Pakistan is seen not as a foreign body in society, but as a community that is an integral part, that helps to cure wounds. This work helps to improve relations of peace, dialogue and harmony in society."
The hospital recently received a visit from Margaret Adamson, Australian High Commissioner for Pakistan, who renewed the High Commission’s support for St Elizabeth Hospital and noted the high level of medical care achieved, confirming that it is a place of "significant service to the common good in Pakistan".
(Article source: Agenzia Fides, 22 April 2016)