It is rightly said that remembering the past gives power to the future. The day is still so fresh as if it was yesterday. It was my first month at DMC, the place where thousands of young pre-medical enthusiasts dream of entering.
A group of local medical books publishers had organised a book fair within the college premises for the newly-admitted students. Towards the end of the fair in the corner was a stall that caught my eyes. It was not selling books. The banner read Patients’ Welfare Association (PWA), the largest student volunteer movement of Pakistan. A senior student, whom I had met in my area point bus before, stood on the other side talking to a group of my classmates.
Although I did not have much predilection for charity work, however, I still walked towards the stall out of curiosity. The senior there greeted me and started explaining what the organiation was about. Out of the 10-minute-long intro, I just got that PWA was the country’s largest student volunteer movement managed by students of DMC voluntarily for helping the poor patients at CHK and that the students weren’t required to fill any membership form, all they were required to do was ‘volunteer’ in whatever time they have. He then offered me to have a tour of the facility. I agreed instantly, though I still don’t know what made me consent to his proposal. Perhaps it was the excitement of going into CHK. Although a few weeks had passed but the small gate between Dow Medical College (DMC) and Civil Hospital Karachi (CHK) was yet to be crossed.
Upon entering CHK, I must say that for the very first time, I saw poverty from so near. It was as if a different world. Even the buildings wore a dilapidated look, thanks to those at the helm of Health Department. The senior kept naming different wards as we strolled through the muddy road, though my mind was still stuck with a mixed feeling of excitement and astonishment. We soon reached a small one room being used as Drug Bank of PWA from where CHK patients were provided free-of-cost medicines.
I had visited to the pharmacy to buy medicines, where the idea of delivering medicines was exhilarating. We first went to the wards to assess the authenticity of medicines requested. The inside of the wards exhibited gloomy air with two patients on one bed at some places, cats wandering the corridors and the whole place smelled as if it had not been washed for ages. It was a totally different kind of image of hospital for me. The senior kept my spirits high. Upon returning from this important task, we dispatched medicines from the Drug Bank window. Being a newcomer I didn’t know the names of any medicines, however, my seniors continued to help me throughout. It took us around two hours to complete the work but it was done in such a healthy and light environment that I didn’t feel how the time passed. I still recall the first generic name of medicine I learned was ‘Spironolactone’.
While chit chatting with the gentle seniors I was told that PWA was a family having a unique bond between all volunteers no matter senior or junior. PWA’s core values were to feel and serve humanity with dignity and to inculcate the spirits of teamwork and respect for fellow volunteers. Though, I little understood meaning of these principles at that time, but I later on discovered that they were indeed true. PWA is in essence, an institution promoting volunteerism, and preparing individuals for life.
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