ISLAMABAD: The first official gala dinner for The ZB Foundation took place on October 12. Held at the renowned Marriot Hotel, Islamabad, dignitaries from all walks of life, including, government, celebrities, diplomats, business people and the medical community, came together to honor a new cause that aims to change the lives of every newborn baby in Pakistan.
New Born Screening (heel prick test) is and should be a birth right for every single baby born in this world. In the developed world, it is taken for granted; new parents most of the time don’t even know that their little babies had tiny drops of blood taken from their heels and that the blood was tested as a precaution against numerous metabolic and health disorders in order to make sure the baby is healthy and not at a health disadvantage from day one. The ZB Foundation is based on a simple premise: to give every baby born in Pakistan the right to a heel prick test. Babies born in Pakistan have every reason to expect the same rights as do babies that are born in Dubai, London, USA or Tokyo.
Sponsored by Nutricia, Unilver – Lifebouy and the Hashoo Group, The ZB Foundation gala dinner not only raised awareness regarding this critical baby issue but also brought to attention how a grass roots effort can make a change and positively impact the healthcare sector of Pakistan. Guests included Ashtar Ausuf Ali, the attorney general of Pakistan, Foreign Secretary of Pakistan Tehmina Janjua, Deputy High Commissioner Richard Crowder and Hilary Crowder, Ambassador Tariq Osman Hyder, Mr & Mrs Saad Mahmud, Embassy of France, Ivan Ivanissevic, ambassador of Argentina and Tore Nedrebo, ambassador of Norway.
They were presented with speeches that highlight various aspects of The ZB Foundation’s mission. Speakers included Danielle Wilson Naqvi (Founder, The ZB Foundation) AkberNaqvi (Founder, The ZB Foundation) Dr Ali Raza (Clinical Coordinator and Board Trustee, The ZB Foundation) Neil Buhne (Resident Coordinator for the United Nations Development Programme) ArdiStoios-Braken (Ambassador of the Netherlands) and Dr Ghazna Khalid (MBBS MD MRCOG, Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Health adviser to Ministry of Health KPK).
“The ZB Foundation is doing invaluable work by building partnerships to right an injustice – that not all children have the screening at birth which they deserve” stated Neil Buhne from the United Nations.
Awards were given on the night in recognition of all the key sponsors, donors, board members and partners that have allowed The ZB Foundation to grow and establish a nascent new born screening infrastructure. A special token of gratitude was given to Mr & Mrs Hashwani of the Hashoo Group in recognition of their special support for the cause and the evening’s event.
A successful auction, presided over by the entertaining Omar Satti and the beautiful and glamorous Cybil Chaudhary, engaged the delighted crowd with an eclectic mix of art, sports and fashion items, raising significant funding for the ZB Foundation. People from the business and diplomatic community dug into their pockets to bid for items such as: a series of art paintings by Fatima Munir, a signed Imran Khan Cricket bat – donated by Shyam Bhatia of Alam Steel, a set of six silk screening painting by Iranian artist Sahand Hesamiyan donated by Third Line Art Gallery in Dubai, a trendy jacket by Sania Maskatiya in a soft pink colour with beautiful hand embroidery and dazzling pearl and gemstone embellishments, to name a few.
All in all, a successful and entertaining night with all invited guests walking away with a new-found appreciation for a worthwhile cause.
Published in Daily Times, October 18th 2017.
