Takdah – September 4th, 2020: Wen Giving Foundation Australia has partnered with Mission For Vision, an India based international development organization to support Siliguri Greater Lions Eye Hospital towards the launch of primary eye care Vision Center at Takdah, in Darjeeling District of West Bengal. This is the first Primary eye care centre in Rangli Rangliot Block which would be catering to the surrounding population of 74,000+ which includes villages from 11 Gram Panchayat and 107 Gram Sansads ensuring them earlier access to quality treatment through early interception and diagnosis to prevent avoidable blindness probability in the region. The Vision Centers will especially be of great significance during these COVID times to provide quality affordable eye care solution to the people of the block locally without having to travel long distance to high infection zones in the city for basic eye care treatment.
The Vision centers was formally inaugurated on September 4 th, 2020 from the auspicious hands of Shri Anit Thapa, Chairman, Gorkhaland Territorial Administration in the presence of Yousuf Sunam, West Bengal Volunteer Health Association and Dhendup Pakhrin President of NGO Samasti. On this auspicious occasion Chief Executive Officer, Siliguri Greater Lions Eye Hospital Dr. Rajesh Saini said that, the institution always have a close space in its heart for the people from the hills and hence making quality eye care accessible in this remote region where eye care is still inaccessible has been always our priority. We were considering the feasibility of opening the centre and conducted a thorough survey to understand the region before requesting Mission For Vision who equally showed their commitment and love for the people of Rangli Rangliot’. During the occasion Shri Anit Thapa GTA Chairman appreciated the ease in accessing eye care that the centre would bring to the people of the block. He further added that GTA have always acknowledged the commitment of Siliguri Greater Lions Eye Hospital for being on their toes in supporting the communities of the Darjeeling hills and extended
his support in creating synergies to help the hospital whenever needed.
Respecting, the COVID 19 restrictions to avoid large gathering at the center the Digital launch programme was organized in the afternoon where digital tour of the centre and its inauguration was shared live with visiting dignitaries from Mission for Vision and Lions Club Of Siliguri Greater. Elizabeth Kurian, Chief Executive Officer and Sabitra Kundu, Head Of Programmes, from MFV along with hospital Chairman Lion P.C Maskara, PID Lion G. S Hora, founding member Lion P. K Shah, and Lion Suresh Sinhal attended the programme sharing the digital stage addressing the launch occasion.
The primary eye care vision center is designed to address the basic and most prevalent cause of visual impairment and blindness focusing on correcting uncorrected refractive error (dispensing prescription eyeglasses) and detecting cataract and other potentially blinding diseases, such as glaucoma and diabetic retinopathy for which it functions as a referral Centre providing accessibility to the base hospital Siliguri Greater Lions Eye Hospital in Siliguri from the Block. The Vision Centre will also exhibit facility of direct teleconsultation with the Doctors from the Hospital now.
During the occasion Vision Centre Coordinator from the hospital Dibyaraj Ghatani said that “The Vision Center will be also training community volunteers to work as potential outreach workers helping the hospital to intercept the patient at their door-steps, creating mass community awareness taking the services to every household in the surrounding region. It is expected to examine over 5000 patients and dispense over 500 pairs of eyeglasses annually. It is expected that, over a period of three- to five-years, avoidable blindness is eliminated in their service areas on a sustainable basis. The Takdah centre is the 21st Centre of Siliguri Greater Lions Eye Hospital in North Bengal and 4th in Darjeeling hills along with other centre in Mirik, Ghoom and Bijanbari.
About Siliguri Greater Lions Eye Hospital:
Siliguri Greater Lions Eye Hospital (SGLEH) is biggest, most trusted and the only NABH certified registered non-profit, non Govt. premier philanthropic eye health institution in North Bengal. It is also the biggest Lions Club eye hospital in India. The hospital is a centre of excellence and plays a crucial role in strengthening government systems in its resolution to meet avoidable blindness prevention goals in the region.
Sight saving work of Siliguri Greater Lions Eye Hospital focuses on bringing quality eye services through its network of tertiary, secondary and primary eye care centers. It invests substantially in upgrading infrastructure, adopting latest technology and building capacity of eye care personnel in Eastern India. Together with its partners, the organization has for the past 38 years, helped protect the eyesight of lakhs of people and moved from strength to strength to an outstanding height.
About Mission for Vision
Mission for Vision (MFV) is a leading not-for-profit organisation working since 2000 for the eradication of avoidable blindness. MFV has acted as a catalyst by strengthening several institutions towards excellence through equitable services and enabled over 2.2 million eye surgeries until date.