The Ambassador of Uzbekistan to Pakistan, Alisher Takhthiov, made a significant visit to Al-Shifa Trust Eye Hospital today, marking a potential turning point in medical cooperation between the two countries. The focus of the discussions was to improve eye care, telemedicine, and medical training for Uzbek patients.
Ambassador Takhthiov participated in the discussions with Second Secretary Roshan Jamanov along with Al-Shifa Trust President Major General (Retired) Rahmat Khan, Administrator Dr. Khalid Yazdani Shah, and Chief of Medical Services Dr. Wajid Ali Khan. The delegation was briefed about the hospital’s extensive network and its specialized medical services across Pakistan.
Several areas for future cooperation were identified in the discussions, such as the implementation of telemedicine, training programs for Uzbek medical staff, and the exchange of medical technology. There was also consideration of formalizing these interactions through an agreement aimed at facilitating medical cooperation between the two countries.
Al-Shifa Trust President General Rahmat Khan highlighted the hospital’s international expansion efforts. In the fiscal year 2024-25, the institution expanded its services to Somalia, where more than 5,632 patients were treated and 400 cataract surgeries were performed. The hospital’s international outreach is now seeking to include underserved regions such as Afghanistan and Eastern Africa, with Uzbekistan becoming its first formal inclusion in Central Asia.
This cooperation could significantly reduce the cost of specialized treatment abroad for Uzbek patients while providing opportunities for exporting medical expertise from Pakistan and new training opportunities. Ambassador Takhthiov praised the hospital’s adherence to international standards and its patient-centered environment.
The meeting was also attended by Raja Sabih Shamim, Head of Marketing Department of Al-Shifa Trust, and representatives from the embassy. Al-Shifa Trust, which operates Pakistan’s largest eye care network, provides free treatment to most of its patients through its seven hospitals and numerous medical camps.
This emerging bilateral cooperation in medical services and training has the potential to usher in a new era of regional medical synergy.