My First Visit to NEAO

By Emily Sajan (esajan@sightsavers.org)
Senior Programme Support Officer


It was my first visit to NEAO. I have always fascinated about the picture printed on the annual report and finally when I got the chance to see it by myself, I was completely thrilled. During my two day visit to NEAO, I attended the RoP Workshop and visited the mobile boat clinic at SHIS (hospital too).



RoP Workshop, 4th October


The fifth RoP awareness workshop held in partnership with Priyamvada Birla Aravind Eye Hospital, Kolkata on 4th October 2009. The workshop was conducted by Chief instructor Dr. Rajvardhan Azad from Rajendra Prasad Centre, AIIMS and the local hospitality and logistical support was rendered by Dr. Abhijit Chattarjee and his team from Priyamvada Birla Aravind Eye Hospital, Kolkata.


Faculty for the Workshop included:
- Prof. Rajvardhan Azad, chief instructor, Rajendra Prasad Centre, All India Institute of Medical Sciences.
- Dr. Parijat Chandra, Associate Professor, R. P. Centre, AIIMS
- Dr. Ramesh Agarwal, Paediatrician, AIIMS
- Dr. V Narendran, Retina Surgeon, Aravind Eye Hospital, Coimbatore


At the end, the participants were given Certificates of Participation which jointly signed by Dr. Rajvardhan Azad representing AIIMS, Dr. Abhijit Chatterjee representing Priyamvada Birla Aravind Eye Hospital and Emily Sajan representing Sightsavers. From Sightsavers partners, VMA Ophthalmologist, Sundarban Social Development Centre (SSDC) Ophthalmologist and the president and 2 persons from SUSRUT Eye Foundation & Research Centre attended the workshop.


The workshop was very well organized and it was a grand success. The feed back was very good and especially the paediatricians commented that they would like to have such a workshop after six months or so. In a separate meeting Dr. Azad mentioned about the next workshops. He suggested that we could have it in Kochin and Bhubaneshwar during Jan and Feb 2010, as he is now busy with ROP World Congress etc.


My visit to SHIS, 5th October


As planned, on 5th October Shanthakumari, accompanied me to one of the general health check up camp organized by SHIS at Nazat islands. It took 3 hours – 1 ½ hrs to reach the Dhamakali boat jetty and another 1 ½ hrs by boat to Nazat. On our way to Nazat, the project staff briefed us the functioning of SHIS projects in these islands. There are about 100 islands in the Sundarban areas and only 54 are inhabited.

SHIS is currently rendering services to 32 islands and they cover all these 32 islands in rotation. SHIS runs four mobile boat dispensaries which caters basic health services including basic eye care services to the people in the remote islands. The mobile boat travels across the islands and provide the basic health services including vision testing and refraction. An Optometrist is taking care of the patients’ eye care needs in the boat. Sightsavers has given equipment support for upgrading these boats. The maintenance and running cost of the boat is met partly by WB Govt. and the donations received from Mr. Domenique Lapier.


On our return journey they served lunch in the boat. Post lunch we have visited SHIS hospital in Kolkata.

In evening, I had a quick shopping spree. Thanks to Bandana, Praveen and Divya (his better half) to accompany me for shopping.



On 6th Oct, we all celebrated the birthday of Bandana (which was on 3rd Oct) by cutting cake in office.

Offcourse, I did brought back the sweet memories and Sandesh back to Mumbai. This is it from my visit, hope to have more such visits for enriching experience.