BIOGRAPHY OF CMO - DR M. MAZHAR AWAN

Dr. Mazhar Awan, a consultant ophthalmologist with over 40 years of experience, chose a different path in 2003: to dedicate the rest of his professional life entirely to serving the underprivileged. What began in 2004 as a small two-room eye clinic, set up in a donated apartment, soon grew into a beacon of hope for thousands. Through perseverance and compassion, he won both donor confidence and patient trust, laying the foundation for Khairun’nisa Eye Hospital.

Despite living with a physical disability and being wheelchair-bound for over 15 years following an episode of myelitis, Dr. Awan never slowed down. As he humbly shares: “I have achieved more during this phase of disability than during my able years.”

His vision is clear: to fight avoidable blindness and visual loss across Pakistan, aligning with the WHO / IAPB Vision 2020 Right to Sight Initiative and the Global Action Plan for People-Centred Eye Care (IPCEC).

Today, Khairun’nisa Eye Hospital stands as a testament to his mission:

• 90,000+ patients treated through consultations and diagnostic services
• 20,000+ major surgeries successfully performed
• 80% of patients served free of cost
• Countless medicines, optical aids, and therapies provided to those in need
   

Beyond treatment, Dr. Awan has pioneered:

• A School Health Program with an electronic database, empowering teachers to conduct basic vision screenings and ensuring follow-up care for children.
• A six-month internship program for optometry graduates, building the next generation of eye-care leaders.
   

His guiding belief remains simple yet powerful: “Eliminating visual loss is possible when we strengthen primary eye care, build robust community systems, and work together through public-private partnerships.”

My fight to cure blindness commenced on the day I chose ophthalmology as my field of specialization, soon after my graduation back in 1982.  The turning point in my practice however came 21 years later in 2003, when I decided to dedicate the remaining career full time to service of less privileged. Those who don’t have financial means for decent eye care or access to what present-day science and technology can offer in this regard.

My humble but consistent start was from a small first-floor residential flat in Karachi, where I relentlessly served for about 12 years albeit on a humble scale. The time came when we needed to expand our service base and intake/output capacity. In 2016, courtesy of Mr. Khalil Sattar CEO of K&N’s Foundation, we shifted over to his ancestral home and had it converted into an eye hospital. We named it Khairunisa Eye Hospital in loving memory of his deceased mother. Here by the grace of the Almighty the scope, as well as our service base, increased by leaps and bounds.

We do not want to slow down or stop here but hope and pray to carry on this mission forward. We would like to grow into a bigger and better, state-of-the-art and internationally accredited purpose-built eye care and teaching facility with its doors always open and accessible to the less fortunate and less privileged as well as the fortunate few, without any discrimination or compromises in the quality of service.

Now as an ISO:9001 2015 QMS Certified organization we have also taken humble steps towards community outreach programs of School Health Services for our future generation and hence contribute towards making Pakistan and this world a better place.

Dr Muhammad Mazhar Awan

CMO – Khairunisa Eye Hospital