Now, a beacon of hope to light up the lives of visually impaired in rural areas

The visually impaired in rural areas will now get quality health services. The Poona Blind Men’s Association (PBMA) and HV Desai Eye Hospital will launch a service on Monday to take free medical facilities to rural areas.

Two persons from the hospital will visit the rural areas and conduct a door-to-door survey. Those needing medical attention will be brought to HV Desai Hospital. The project will be launched by industrialist Anu Aga at the hospital on Monday.

Niranjan Pandya, president of PBMA, said the project aims to reach those who do not get good medical facilities. “In the villages, people are ignorant about treatment. Most of the blind cases in rural areas are due to malnutrition, injuries, infection or lack of medication. Often it can be totally treated with proper medication or surgery. We need to reach out to such patients, particularly infants, children and youngsters who have a chance of regaining eyesight,” said Pandya.

The community ophthalmology department of the hospital will execute the project, starting with talukas in Pune district.
“We have well-equipped laboratories and operation theatres with modern equipment,” said Pandya. “This treatment is expensive, but effective. We will extend these and other facilities to rural patients.”

Two non-government organisations in Nashik and Sangli will pitch in with similar projects. The visually impaired from villages will be brought to Pune for education and vocational training with the support of the PBMA.