Philanthropy for patients

Medical treatment at Karachi’s Aga Khan University Hospital (AKUH) has been facilitated for financially challenged members of the Zoroastrian community thanks to the generosity of The Soparivala Endowment Fund (SEF) and The Shreen and Godrej Kandawalla Endowment (SGKE).

During last year, nine Zoroastrian patients were assisted with Rs 526,734 from SEF and seven Zoroastrian patients benefited from SGKE, according to the annual report of these Endowments carried in the September 2010 issue of What’s On, the newsletter of the Karachi Zarthosti Banu Mandal.

Aga Khan University Hospital in Karachi

Established through the benevolence of Noshir and Mehroo Soparivala in 1995 and functioning since the last 12 years, SEF has served 133 Zoroastrian inpatients and 253 outpatients over the years extending financial assistance to the tune of five million rupees. A subcommittee comprising Thrity Spencer and Hassan Somani assesses the merits of each case as per the criteria and policy laid down and extends help up to 70 percent of the treatment costs.

The SGKE, established in 2005 thanks to the magnanimity of the Shreen and Godrej Kandawalla family and the Kandawalla Trust, became effective in 2007. As per the terms of the Endowment, 50 percent of the total Endowment income is distributed to Zoroastrian patients to help them avail of the high quality of medical services at the AKUH and the remaining transferred to the general welfare pool for the benefit of non-Zoroastrian patients.