Bihar’s First Specialized Paediatric Eye Care Unit
The current scenario - Astonishing facts and figures of blindness in Bihar
Figures show 1 out of 3 blind people in the world live in India. The number totals to about 15 million. Moreover, 2.4% of the population is plagued by severe visual impairment - with people having cataract in one eye and those needing simple spectacles. Both the conditions can be resolved easily.
The most affected people live in the low-income regions in India. Bihar being the poorest and most marginalized state, it is the worst hit with 700,000 blind and 4.3 million visually impaired people. 100,000 additional people become blind each year due to aging. Cataract responsible for 83% of the blindness. Bihar has extremely low CSC (Cataract Surgical Coverage rate) – More than half the population DO NOT have access to cataract surgery. There are only a few eye hospitals and eye clinics in Bihar that provide comprehensive eye care to the people.
Around 19 million people are visually impaired due to refractive error, the second largest cause of treatable blindness. A simple provision of spectacle can help them see better.
If studies are to be believed, 44% of the state’s population are children and the ones with refractive errors are 456,000. In addition, 50,000 children suffer from blindness that can be cured.
What It Is Indicative Of
A World Health Organisation study predicts the cumulative impact of blindness and visual impairment on India would reach $162 billion by 2020. This is indicative of poor social, economic, education and psychological health. It will lead to poverty which in turn will contribute to increased levels of blindness and further provoke existing poverty. The economic loss of productivity will also be significant.
The Challenges
What adds to the sheer volume, poor infrastructure, illiteracy and poverty, is the lack of awareness along with trained personnel and inconsistent clinical standards in low-income regions like Bihar. They combine to become some of the biggest challenges of curing blindness and refractive correction in Bihar and that where the real difference needs to be made.
Coming Forward for The Cause
Akhand Jyoti Eye Hospital started its journey with an awakening that there might be something more out there for us. We are inspired and passionate about uplifting others and we are glad we are being successful at our chosen path. With support from Orbis International, we have launched a specialised paediatric unit for eyecare, the only one of its kind in Bihar.
Together with Orbis, we are taking on that vision that we wrote for ourselves before starting this endeavour. We are answering the prayers of millions of parents and helping the children of Bihar live their life.
Speaking on the occasion Bob Ranck, President & CEO, Orbis International said,
Akhand Jyoti Eye Hospital is addressing two key issues in Bihar – building the state’s capacity for quality eye care delivery and the social emancipation of girls by promoting their education. We are very glad to partner with Akhand Jyoti to reach the children of Bihar.
The Game Changer - A first of its kind initiative
Both Akhand Jyoti Eye Hospital and Orbis share the commitment to take services to areas of need and reach the children of Bihar. The launch of Bihar’s first Children’s Eye Center is a culmination of that. Not only will it address the unmet need for quality child eye care services in the region but also help inch towards seeing a nation where no child is needlessly blind or visually impaired.
Mr. Mritunjay Tiwary, Project Head and Executive Trustee, Akhand Jyoti Eye Hospital said,
We firmly believe that irrespective of a person’s capacity to pay, she/he should have access to world-class treatment. This initiative will contribute towards ensuring this. In the coming years, we hope to see every child in Bihar being able to access quality eye care services in their own community, regardless of their social or economic background.
The Future - Helping Children Live A New Reality
The institutions endorse that irrespective of a person’s capacity to pay, he/ she deserves to have access to world-class treatment. In the coming years, they hope to see every child in Bihar being able to access quality eye care services in their own community, regardless of their social or economic background. Helping children write down their life the way that they want it to look like and live a reality that brings along with it the promise of a brighter tomorrow is their ultimate dream.
This initiative will contribute towards ensuring that and help the shift take over. It will provide comprehensive eye exam, superior quality treatment and proper post-operative care to identify or cure the condition that is plaguing the child’s vision, without making his/her family shell out a fortune or run from pillar to post.
Why Akhand Jyoti
Akhand Jyoti Eye Hospital is committed to eradicating curable blindness from children in Bihar and restore their lives. It addresses two key issues – building the state’s capacity for quality eye care delivery and encouraging social emancipation of girls by promoting their education.
Why Orbis
Orbis is a leading global non-profit organization and a pioneer in the prevention and treatment of blindness for over 3 decades. With its network of partners, it transforms lives, and mentors, trains and inspires local teams so they can save sight in their communities.
Khushi Srivastava
07/05/2019