Zuffar Haq, a Leicestershire businessman, who set up an international medical relief charity amassing equipment worth over £5 million in five years is set to embark on a new mission of mercy. Haq has filled five 40-foot containers with vital medical supplies donated by hospitals in South Staffordshire, Liverpool and Nottingham which will be sent to Pakistan and Nigeria in February 2007.

The Oadby philanthropist set up the International Hospital Equipment Trust after seeing at first hand the plight of the poor in Pakistan during a visit. Hospitals lacked basic equipment and Zuffar, a father of three, vowed to do something to assist. He has contacted hospital trusts across the UK for them to donate equipment that is redundant in the UK - but which could provide a new lease of life for patients in developing countries.

Zuffar, a previous Community Award winner in the Asian Business Awards, has now amassed medical supplies estimated at £1m, a large proportion of which has been donated by the South Staffordshire Healthcare Trust.

"This equipment is redundant in the UK and my charity, the International Hospital Equipment Trust, removes the cost of disposing of the equipment by simply collecting it from the hospital and donating it to worthy causes."

The medical supplies will be sent to hospitals in Toba Tek Singh, Faisalabad, Jhang and Islamabad in Pakistan and to a hospital near Lagos in Nigera. It includes scanners, dialysis machines, beds, anaesthetics, crutches, bandages, desks, TVs x-ray machines and more. In all, Zuffar estimates there are some 10,000 items in the containers.

Zuffar added:"I personally ensure that the equipment is delivered to the hospitals and see it put in place as well as meet patients who have benefited from it. Just the prayers and thanks from them is more than a reward for me.

For more information about the International Hospital Relief Trust, or for offers of support, please contact Zuffar Haq on 07860 542832. Donations can be sent to International Hospital Relief, PO Box 8051, Leicester LE21 3AD.

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