As part of avoidable blindness programme "Seeing is Believing," Standard Chartered has announced that it will invest US one million dollars for this programme in Pakistan which will benefit approximately one million people across the country. This project will be implemented in Karachi, Lahore, and Rawalpindi, with government and non-government partners within the framework of National Eye Health Plan of Pakistan.
The overall aim of this project is to treat men and women who are known diabetic, are screened for Diabetic Retinopathy and treated for Sight Threatening Retinopathy (STDR). The bank, since the launch of the Seeing is Believing programme in 2004, has invested approximately US 3.3 million dollars to help alleviate avoidable blindness from Pakistan. Through the various initiatives under the programme we have impacted the lives of almost 11 million people across Pakistan. A 20 percent reduction in cataract blindness in Pakistan is attributable to this programme.
Commenting on the initiative Shazad Dada, Chief Executive Standard Chartered Pakistan said, "I am proud to be affiliated with a bank like Standard Chartered that is making a sizeable difference in Pakistan through its avoidable blindness programme 'Seeing is Believing'. With the launch of Phase 5 we aim to reach a million Pakistani men and women who are diabetic and treat them through early detection to prevent visual impairment." In recognition of the bank's efforts, the Government of Pakistan has also made the bank a partner of the National Steering Committee for Eye Health.-PR