THE LAYTON-RAHMATULLAH BENEVOLENT TRUST

Abstract

On 11 January 2003, Justice Amir Raza, the President of the Hospital Executive Committee, Layton Rahmatullah Benevolent Trust (LRBT) Free Eye Care and Cancer Hospital at Township, Lahore, was in Karachi to attend the annual budget meeting with the administration of LRBT Base Hospital (also the Head Office). The meeting went smoothly for the most part, except during the discussion on capital expenses. The Karachi Hospital administration that approved the annual budget of all the LRBT hospitals felt that the Lahore Hospital should be able to make do with lower cost equipment since the hospital was after all a charity-funded institution. One of the points of contention was the purchase of an operating microscope. Dr Aqil Qazi, senior consultant ophthalmologist (also the Operating Head of the Hospital), and other senior doctors at the LRBT Lahore Hospital wanted to acquire the latest microscope available in the market for Rs 5 million. The Head Office argued that there was no point in purchasing such expensive equipment when results of an acceptable quality could be attained by using an older technology microscope worth Rs 1 million. Justice Raza had to take a decision regarding the purchase of the microscope. He wanted to satisfy his doctors as he felt that the Lahore Hospital, being a postgraduate training centre, had higher specialized equipment requirements than the Karachi Hospital. But on the other hand, the argument of the Head Office was also justified.