medical camp

NLC sets up free medical camp at Torkham

News Desk |

In an illumination of Corporate Social Responsibility, more than 200 patients were treated by specialists in a free medical camp organized by the National Logistics Cell (NLC) of the Pakistan Army, at Basic Health Unit Torkham on Sunday, April 21. The NLC is one of the largest logistics and transport corporations in Pakistan, run by the Pakistan Army. It also covers contingency management and solutions.

Quality Healthcare at the Doorstep

According to a press release, the medical camp is part of the NLC’s efforts to provide quality healthcare facilities to the tribesmen of Khyber District at their doorstep. The patients attended by doctors included a large number of women and children.

Services of specialist doctors were hired for the medical checkup of patients suffering from various diseases and who find it difficult to travel all the way to cities and are unable to afford hefty consultancy fees and medicines, the presser read.

DERA will offer latest facilities to road users in a highly secured environment including fuel stations, workshops, tire shop, masjid, washrooms, trucker hotels, DERA mart, restaurants, parking bay, and other entertainment facilities.

Medicines prescribed by the doctors were provided to the patients free of cost. Medical camps will be a regular feature as the NLC plans to hold it at Torkham border every month.

Rest Areas Along Major Highways

The National Logistics Cell (NLC) has also announced to set up international standard rest areas on major highways in Balochistan to facilitate truckers and commuters, who otherwise had to travel hundreds of kilometers of barren land before hitting a proper pit stop.

In this development, the first rest area of its kind is being established on N-40 near Dalbandin to serve traders and truckers engaged in Pakistan–Iran bilateral trade as well as pilgrims (Zaireen) to the holy places in Iran. Later on, such facilities will be set up on other important roads from Quetta to Chaman, Karachi, Taftan, and Gwadar.

Read more: NLC Launches Vehicles Recovery Service on GT Road

Drivers Emergency and Rest Areas

The facility is part of Drivers Emergency and Rest Areas (DERA) project of the NLC Trucking and Bus Service (NTBS). In the first phase, DERAs are being set up on N-5 which will be subsequently extended to all national highways including the CPEC routes. The foundation laying ceremony of DERA was held at Dalbandin.

Project Director Brig Umar Farooqi, local commanders of the security forces, elders of the Sanjrani tribe and residents of the area attended the ceremony. The project will be completed by the end of 2019.

N-40, also known as “London road”, is a critical link between the two countries which caters to bulk of goods trade between Pakistan and Iran. Most of the people visiting holy places in Iran also use this important route which is devoid of facilities for truckers in general and commuters in particular.

Industry leaders and associations, representatives of chambers of commerce, policy makers, national and international donors and experts on skill education, from several countries, attended the seminar.

DERA will offer latest facilities to road users in a highly secured environment including fuel stations, workshops, tire shop, masjid, washrooms, trucker hotels, DERA mart, restaurants, parking bay, and other entertainment facilities. The facility, apart from creating socio-economic activities in the area will also be helpful in encouraging domestic and regional tourism.

Seminar on Market-Driven Skills

Earlier this month on 4th April, NLC, in collaboration with Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis, held a seminar to highlight the need for market-driven skills.

The speakers at the international seminar on “Enabling Employment” stressed the need for improved liaison between Pakistan’s industry and its colleges and universities. They stressed a revision of national curriculum on skill education placing a clear focus on job placement.

Read more: NLC Seminar: Pakistan urgently needs market driven skills

Speakers from Pakistan and abroad suggested creation of a platform to assist the government in policy formulation so that jobs can be created for the youth of the country. Industry leaders and associations, representatives of chambers of commerce, policy makers, national and international donors and experts on skill education, from several countries, attended the seminar.