By Rajesh Kapse
Sightsavers International has launched its first project of Vidharbha Network on 16th June 2009 with Mahatme Eye Bank Eye Hospital, Impact India Foundation and Volkart foundation. This project will be for the Gondiya district of Vidharbha region.
Impact India foundation and Volkart Foundation has given this van to Mahatme Eye Bank Eye Hospital through Sightsavers International for the implementation of the comprehensive eye care programme for Gondia district. A tele ophthalmology unit will be established in this van so as to provide expert diagnosis to the rural poor patients of Gondia district by ophthalmologist. An optical dispensing unit will also be added to this van and spectacles will be provided on the spot. Netra Doots (eye health volunteers) will be trained from the local population and awareness will be generated on the eye care issues. Activities for rehabilitation of the irreversibly blind and low vision people will be implemented as a part of Vidarbha Network for the comprehensive eye care services. This will be of great help to the poor and needy people of Vidarbha region.
The Life Line Express Mobile Van Clinic ( LLEMVC) has been handed over to Dr. Mahatme (Medical Director, Mahatme Eye Bank Eye Hospital) on this day. Mr. Pravin Darade (District Collector, Nagpur), Mr. Vilas Muttemwar (Member of Parliament, Nagpur), Ms. Zelma Lazarus (CEO Impact India Foundation), Mr. Shreenath (CEO Volkart Foundation), Mr. Vikas Thakre (Ex Mayor Nagpur) and myself were present on this occasion.
There was a live demonstration of cataract surgery during the inauguration programme and the operated patient inaugurated the van. Dr. Mrs. Sunita Mahatme was the master of the ceremony.
The event was widely covered in the media with exclusive footage in leading english newspaper "Hitavada". The excerpts are as follows:
‘Vision for Vid - a boon for visually challenged’ Jun. 18th, 2009 by Nandu Andhare
Sightsavers International is an non-political, secular, non-governmental development organisation which specialises in the provision of technical and financial support for the ‘prevention and cure of blindness.’ It also specialises in the provision of services such as education and rehabilitation for the incurably blind, is on a god sent mission in Vidarbha.
Sightsavers International is an non-political, secular, non-governmental development organisation which specialises in the provision of technical and financial support for the ‘prevention and cure of blindness.’ It also specialises in the provision of services such as education and rehabilitation for the incurably blind, is on a god sent mission in Vidarbha.
According to Dr Rajesh Kapse, Programme Officer of Sightsavers International, the organisation believes in delivery of services through local partners. It has underpinned the organisations activities for more than 50 years and learn from them, while assisting them in building their capacity for sustainability of service in the long term Comprehensive Eye Services (CES) is its core delivery model to provide a network of services covering all aspects of eye care, from the promotion of eye health, the prevention of blindness and the provision of clinical services, through to education and rehabilitation for persons with irreversible visual impairment.’’
Dr Rajesh says, “Sightsavers has started its programmes by working on some priority issues like human resource development, providing primary eye care services like refraction, cataract surgeries, treatment for glaucoma and work for rehabilitation of the blind and low vision people. The need of timely maintenance of ophthalmic equipments was also felt The organisation has started training programme for the ophthalmic surgeons and ophthalmic officers working with Government in 11 district of Vidarbha. This training programme has been launched in collaboration with Maharashtra State Health Society under National programme for control of blindness. 210 ophthalmic officers and 50 ophthalmic surgeons will participate in this programme.
Training of the first batch of 30 ophthalmic officers was organised on June 11 and 12, and training of other 6 batches of ophthalmic officers will be done in the month of June and July 2009. The training programme of ophthalmic surgeons was organised on June 16 and 17 on Best Practices in Cataract Management. Four ophthalmic officers from Vidarbha will be provided with the training in Equipment maintenance. This trained man power will help in solving the equipment maintenance issues to increase surgical performance. The first comprehensive eye care programme has been launched in collaboration with Mahatme Eye Bank Eye Hospital, Impact India Foundation and Volkart foundation.
Impact India Foundation has introduced an innovative idea of combating disabilities through its Lifeline Express Mobile Clinic (LLEMC), a concept of mobile health care. The LLEMC is designed as an autonomous diagnostic mobile clinic fitted with the latest equipment for identifying hearing and vision impairments, with the goal of making maximum use of the available space and creating a user friendly layout. The LLEMC is equipped with Vision Drum, Auto-Refractometer, Slit Lamp, Lensometer, Trial set of lenses, Retinoscope, Ophthalmoscope, Tonometer, Audiometer. The LLEMC with its equipment is being used to screen and examine identified patients for External inflammation, infection, injury or asymmetry in vision, Pupilary function, Ocular motility, Visual acuity, Visual field testing, Patient’s hearing level, Ability to differentiate between sound intensities, Recognize pitch, Distinguish speech from background noise.
Impact India foundation and Volkart Foundation has given this Van to Mahatme Eye Bank Eye Hospital through Sightsavers International for the implementation of the comprehensive eye care programme for the Gondia district. A tele ophthalmology unit will be established in this van so as to provide expert diagnosis to the rural poor patients of Gondia district by ophthalmologist. An optical dispensing unit will also be added to this van and spectacles will be provided on the spot. Netra Doots (eye health volunteers) will be trained from the local population and awareness will be generated on the eye care issues. Activities for rehabilitation of the irreversibly blind and low vision people will be implemented as a part of Vidarbha Network for the comprehensive eye care services. This will be of great help to the poor and needy people of Vidarbha region.”
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