KARACHI : The Government of Japan handed over medical equipment to Behbud Association Karachi as
part of “The Project for Provision of Medical Equipment to Tuberculosis Clinic in Karachi” under
the Grant Assistance for Grassroots Human Security Projects (GGP).
The handover ceremony was held at the Behbud TB Medical Center in Clifton in the presence
of Mr. ODAGIRI Toshio, Consul General of Japan in Karachi and the President of Behbud
Association Karachi, Mrs. Mehveen Qureishi.
Behbud Association Karachi has been providing health services and educational and vocational
training centres for more than 50 years. Behbud remains one of the leading providers of TB
treatment in Karachi, with a focus on the underserved. Because TB is a communicable disease,
it is very important to cure it completely. However, in Pakistan and other developing countries,
treatment is often discontinued for a variety of reasons. There is an urgent need to reduce the
financial burden on health services and create an environment where the most vulnerable
have better access to TB care.
Speaking on the occasion, Mr ODAGIRI said that this project will facilitate the provision of
advanced medical treatment to a larger number of people at little or no cost, thereby
contributing to the elimination of TB in Karachi and Pakistan.
In response, Mrs. Mehveen Qureishi, President of Behbud Association Karachi, thanked the
Consul General, the Government and people of Japan for their generosity towards the patients
of Karachi. She assured that the donated medical equipment would undoubtedly ease the
burden of the less fortunate and their families.
The GGP is a grant from the government and people of Japan for development projects aimed
at improving human security at the grassroots level. The grant provides timely support to local
NGOs and directly benefits the local people of Pakistan. It is expected that this support will
further strengthen the bonds of friendship between Japan and Pakistan.
Japan has funded more than 400 projects in Pakistan under the GGP programme since 1989,
and this is the 28th GGP project implemented by the Consulate General of Japan in Karachi
since 2009.
