UK-based specialist label manufacturer AA Labels is seeking to raise £200,000 to support families in Pakistan with free medical care.

AA Labels was founded by Sohail Sethi, who opened the Sakina Al Shafa Clinic in Lahore in 2009 to provide free general medical care for families unable to afford private medical costs.   

Mr Sethi was born in the UK but spent his early formative years living with family in Lahore, before marrying his wife, Asifa, who also originates from the city.

In order to create new jobs and opportunities, AA Labels relocated its accounts, IT and design teams to Lahore, leading to the creation of the medical practice.

Mr Sethi commented, ‘The motivation was to assist with the alleviation of hardship associated with poverty through the provision of free medical services in a city that has connections and history for my family.

‘A property was acquired for the purpose of the relocation and the idea for a clinic to occupy the ground floor area was born.’

The clinic is entirely funded by Medicaid Action, a charity set up by Mr and Mrs Sethi to support its day-to-day running. Money raised by the charity enables the clinic to open six days a week and employ six full-time members of staff who now see around 300 patients a day for consultations and repeat medication for illnesses, such as asthma, diabetes and high blood pressure. Efforts to raise £200,000 will allow the purchase of used angiography and ECG equipment to expand the clinic’s services and diagnose a range of heart conditions.

Mr Sethi continued, ‘When the clinic first opened it was intended to serve a small local community in the north of Lahore, providing free basic consultation, medical and prescription services for around 300 patients a week, but it has since grown to become five times that size due to increasing demand.

‘The clinic serves a particularly poor neighbourhood in Lahore and unfortunately, the provision of free medical services such as this are not common in Pakistan, hence the need to expand the size of the clinic and range of services provided to keep pace with demand.

‘As AA Labels continues to grow as a business, it enables us to provide free general medical services to more and more families, and improve access to treatment and equipment.’

For further details about the clinic, Medicaid Action and to donate, go here.