The groundbreaking of Pakistan’s third Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital and Research Centre (SKMCH&RC) took place on December 29, 2016 in Karachi. This occasion marks the achievement of the entire nation as it is the efforts of the people that built this hospital, defying all odds, not once, but again and again-proving that a dream has no time frame. If we try to find a similar example of a cancer hospital in the developing world, TATA Memorial Hospital in the neighbouring India comes to mind. However, it is noteworthy that the TATA hospital is supported by the state as well as the TATA group of industries, and yet it is able to provide about 25% financially supported treatment. Whereas the Shaukat Khanum Memorial Trust is providing 75% of financially supported treatment to its patients despite the fact that it mainly depends on donations and Hospital services to generate revenue. This phenomenon is certainly worthy of analysis as SKMT has proven to be a model for other charities in the country.
Shaukat Khanum Memorial Trust has emerged as one of the most credible charities in Pakistan and it has managed to establish itself as an institution. This means thatthe trust of the donors no longer primarily rests on an individual (Imran Khan) but it now rests on the credibility of the institution that it has built gradually over time. Each year, the financial audit of the Trust takes place by a reliable auditing firm and the results are publicly available on the Hospital’s website. Whether a person donates through a bank, online, or through SMS, he/she receives a donation acknowledgment receipt. Hence, the organization displays a willingness and openness towards accountability that has helped to strengthen it as a credible institution. Furthermore, the work of the organization speaks for itself through the high quality of services that it offers. Its services range from its network of laboratory collection centres all over Pakistan that collect blood samples to be processed in its Pathology Lab that is ISO certified, certified by the College of American Pathologists and certified by the Physicians and Surgeons of Pakistan to the state-of-the-art cancer therapeutic facilities it offers. The Trust has also been awarded by the World Health Organization for its services in the healthcare sector. In addition, the Trust closely evaluates all its activities to ensure that these are in line with its mission, “To act as a model institution to alleviate the suffering of patients with cancer through the application of modern methods of curative and palliative therapy irrespective of their ability to pay, the education of health care professionals and the public and perform research into the causes and treatment of cancer.” For this reason, we have witnessed over time the expansion of the Trust which currently has its footprints all across Pakistan. Recently, the Trust has embarked on expansion projects; from the new Clinical Tower in Lahore to Pakistan’s third Shaukat Khanum to be built in Karachi. Therefore, the donors can clearly see that their donations are being utilized judicially.
A very important factor in building trust is the organization’s unique relationship with its donors. The very idea of the existence of Shaukat Khanum Hospital is so strong, equivalent to a miracle, that it has an inherent appeal. Nineteen of the twenty top doctors, in the first meeting of the Board of the Trust said the Hospital cannot be built and one who said it is possible warned it can never function with the mission of treating the poor free of cost. Today, the Hospital provides financially supported treatment to about 75% of its patients. Not just this but it has also successfully expanded itself. This, my friends, is nothing short of a miracle. It is, indeed, a phenomenon that defies all logic and reasoning. Being a part of this miracle in any capacity, whether as a volunteer, donor, or an employee generates a remarkable feeling for which there is no substitute. No matter how small the contribution is, it comes with a feeling of having achieved something big; something that is equivalent to making a difference between life and death.
Shaukat Khanum Hospital in Lahore was built at a cost of about Rs. 0.7 billion whereas today the Hospital’s annual operating budget is Rs. 10 billion. Each year, the budget increases and each year, owing to Allah’s blessings and the support of the Hospital’s well-wishers, the target is achieved. This is only made possible because the donors have complete faith that their donated funds and Zakat is being spent on the deserving people. To earn the public’s trust is not an easy feat. It is noteworthy that the Hospital has made a consistent effort over time to cultivate this special relationship with its donors. If you get a chance to visit the Hospitals in Lahore or Peshawar, you will notice that almost all the rooms are dedicated in the memory of loved ones. Each room that is dedicated has a plaque displayed outside. So we know that someone will get a chance to live, in this room, thanks to the love or remembrance of this individual. SKMCH&RC is not just a hospital building; each room is a tribute to the memory of a loved one. The bricks have been cemented with the trust, support, and love of so many people. It is not easy to break this very unique and strong bond. However, it will be naïve to ever think that trust in an individual who runs a charity or an established institution like Shaukat Khanum Hospital, is unconditional. It should not be forgotten that the relationship with the donors is based on reciprocated trust. The donor will trust the organization with his/her money if the organization opens itself up to accountability and invests its energies in its donors, accepts the passion of its supporters and volunteers, and all the while remains committed to its founding mission. It is only fair to acknowledge that there are other charities in Pakistan that also enjoy credibility in the eyes of the public because they also have some or all of the golden strengths discussed above.
The writer is Medical Director at Shaukat Khanum Hospital, Lahore.
