RMCOF, Rawalpindi Medical College Overseas Foundation is a charitable organization founded by the alumni of Rawalpindi Medical College that are practicing across the globe. RMCOF aims to facilitate the poor and ease their suffering, to improve health education, in Pakistan especially in and around the twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad. RMCOF was initially started by a few active members of RMCAANA, Rawalpindi Medical College Alumni Association of North America. These members were actively thinking on how they can give back to their nation and alma mater in some way. Since RMCAANA members are only members of APPNA, RMCOF was created to have a foundation that all alumni of RMC, whether they are in the United States or abroad can give back to the community. After some initial discussion, a new Burn Center was most needed in Rawalpindi. At the time, there were only Burn Centers available to Federal Employees or the military, but if the average citizen needed Burn care, they did not have any affordable options. This team started collecting funds from local alumni in the United States, Pakistan, and abroad. RMCOF now has expanded to several continents and over 50 members. The projects that RMCOF undertakes have been brought to the board of directors by one of the members or by any alumni. Then these ideas are discussed with the members to see if this is a cause that RMCOF will support. RMCOF has not collected money for a general fund. The board will have a set goal that they will campaign for.
RMCOF was initially started by a few active members of RMCAANA, Rawalpindi Medical College Alumni Association of North America. These members were actively thinking on how they can give back to their nation and alma mater in some way. Since RMCAANA members are only members of APPNA, RMCOF was created to have a foundation that all alumni of RMC, whether they are in the United States or abroad can give back to the community.
| S.No. | Name of Work | Year | Donor | Approximate Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Burn centre HFH | 2008 | USA Allumni | 40 Million |
| 2 | Establishment of Doctor's Library | 2013 | USA/UK Alumni | 0.4 Million |
| 3 | Renovation of BBH ER/OT | 2013-14 | UK/USA Allumni | 2 Million |
| 4 | MOF unit Dialysis Machines at HFH | 2013-14 | US/UK/Australia/UAE Allumni | 15 Million |
The Rawalian Burn Centre was established in February 2007 in the Holy Family Hospital, Rawalpindi, with financial support from RMCOF, the body of old students of Rawalpindi Medical College, settled abroad.
The building was provided by the Holy Family Hospital through the sincere efforts of Professor Mussadiq Khan, the then Principal, Rawalpindi Medical College, which was renovated and provided all necessary requirements of a burn centre. All expenses on renovation, equipment, management and treatment of patients of the burn centre and staff salaries were borne by RMCOF during 2007 to 2010. An exclusive operation theater for burn patients was established with financial assistance from Children of Islamic Nations (COINS) Canada an NGO of Muslim children, co-funded through a grant from the International Development Program (IDP) Wild Rose Foundation, Alberta Government, Canada.
In 2010, due to huge devastation caused by flood waters, thousands of people became homeless when their mud houses collapsed. Their animals were swept away by the floods and most of the people were left without shelter under an open sky without food and clothes. In this state of emergency, Rawalian Medical College Overseas Foundation moved to flood hit areas to provide food and clothing to the flood victims. After a survey of many sites, RMCOF selected Darya Khan for this purpose, about 350 km from Islamabad. Looking in to their miseries, RMCOF first provided the people with food/clothes and medical care. And then to save them from cold weather, a safe shelter was provided to the affected families.
Rawalian Overseas Foundation renovated the Liver Centre, Holy Family Hospital in 2010, incurring an expense of about 3 million rupees.
RMCOF has been supporting the establishment of a thalassemia center at Holy Family Hospital from donations given by Dr. Jamil Hussain Khan. The initial cost was 15,000 USD. It was decided by the Board to accept responsibility for the remaining 15,000 USD needed and to assist with the completion of the transfusion centre
Considering the acute need of medical care for poor patients, RMCCANA executive council and past presidents decided to use our resources to upgrade the existing dialysis unit at Holy Family Hospital (HFH). The Dialysis center at HFH once had 10 dialysis machines.
After completing their life span, six of them have been discarded and remaining four are now practically nonfunctioning as well. Patients were being transferred to other facilities for acute dialysis. That was the situation at our RMC’s main teaching hospital. Due to the lack of funding, patients with renal failure were dying for the lack of appropriate dialysis facilities. This Rawalian project with a combined effort of RMCAANA, RMCOF and Rawalpindi Medical College was overseen by Dr. Avais Masud, Dr. Muhammad Umar, Dr. Babar Rao and RMCAANA Executive Council.
As students of RMC have very limited open space for sitting in their extra time, ROF has undertaken Civil work and provided a small clean park in front of the college building. The funds for RMC Park were provided by Dr. Babar Rao and Dr. Jamil Khan from USA.
Education is a basic need for development of any society, particularly for women who can change a course of any society.
During rehabilitation of the affected Darya Khan area, it was noticed with great concern that there was no private or government girls’ school there and that women had been totally deprived of education. The people of this area are very poor and did not have any source of income.
Keeping in view the prevailing situation, plight of the people and importance of education for girls, the management of ROF decided to initially establish two girls’ primary schools with vocational training centres for girls/women who are above the age of schooling. The location was selected to be accessible to maximum residents of the area, and the two girl’s schools with vocational centre were constructed.
Rawalpindi Medical University is a public university located in Rawalpindi, Punjab, Pakistan. It is affiliated with three public sector teaching hospitals . It is also listed among the recognized universities and degree awarding institutions by the HEC.
Rawalpindi Medical University, Tipu Road, Chamanzar Colony, Rawalpindi, Pakistan
