This summer, Dr Haque and Mr Sherafat, consultants in Kingston Hospital’s Royal Eye Unit, visited Bangladesh in their spare time, to perform life changing cataract surgery for some of the poorest people in the country. Approximately 90% of the population in Bangladesh live in rural areas, with no facilities for cataract operations.
Supported by the Global Aid Trust, Mr Sherafat and Dr Haque performed 146 cataract operations during their visit.
Dr Haque said: “Being a trustee and the current chair of Global Aid Trust I feel proud to do such a brilliant job. Our next target is to establish rural eye hospitals in different parts of the country in the future to prevent and cure blindness.”
Mr Sherafat said: “The experience is truly humbling and a reminder of the very many uncompromising, often elementary standards that we have grown to expect and take for granted in the Western world and we should remain grateful for. These are infinitely rewarding and enlightening experiences and one of the most exciting periods of the year, which I plan and look forward to with great anticipation and some trepidation. Now that we have hopefully put COVID behind us, we can do these trips more regularly.”
