Patients' Welfare Association

The Patients' Welfare Association (PWA) is a non-political, non-governmental organization (NGO) located within Civil Hospital, Karachi run by the students of Dow Medical College, which works for the medical aid of underprivileged patients by providing a number of services free of charge. The organization depends upon its donors and volunteers for its functionality and maintenance. Other than conventional charity donations and zakat funds the PWA also holds many fund raising campaigns such as bake sales and promotion in school campuses.

Established in 1979, by three students of Dow Medical College, it soon transformed from being a small student based organization to a much larger movement with much coverage of their humanitarian deeds being publicized by means of local Television channels, Newspaper, Radio as well as their own newsletter which is circulated in their locality.

Patients' Welfare Association was established as a small student based organization by three students of Dow Medical College in 1979, with simple services such as free of cost drugs for needy patients. In the years to come the organization gained much popularity and by 1982 it had gained enough funds and volunteer force to form a blood bank and a Thalassemia Follow-up Clinic. With their influence spreading, in 1986 a diagnostic laboratory was set up.

With the slogan "We feel, We serve," their existence depends on service to the underprivileged segment of society. The organization achieves this by means of several departments which have been built within the vicinity of Civil Hospital, Karachi.

The Drug 'bank' is a full-fledged pharmacy which covers an area of two thousand square feet and provides drugs to patients free of cost. The drugs are also donated to follow up clinics including Tuberculosis and General follow up. The functioning of the pharmacy is solely depends on the student volunteers of the PWA. In 2004 the pharmacy was computerized which upgraded its functionality to a much level of efficiency and organization.

The Blood bank provides more than 250 units of blood daily on exchange basis not only to patients of Civil Hospital Karachi, but also extends its services to patients all over the city. All units dispatched are screened for Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, HIV, Syphilis and Malarial Parasite, thus ensuring patient safety. The blood bank also provides blood components such as packed cells, platelets and fresh frozen plasma. The Blood Bank has also started the service of providing mega unit of platelets to patients of Civil Hospital Karachi, free of cost.

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