By Laxmi Jhala | Project Leader
Months of June, July and August of 2021 have witnessed a new normal after the second wave of COVID 19. Organizing large scale free eye screening camps is not a practice any more. But at Alakh Nayan Mandir, we have begun with primary eye care centres in remote villages. These permanent centres are alaways availbe with trained team to cater to the basic eye care needs of the locals. They also help in reaching out to the unreached localities and masses in those villages. Patients are screened through these centres and then selected for surgeries or other interventions. This process has been very promising and we intent to reach out to a larger section with these.
Through this initiative, we have been able to provide free servcies to 329 patients, with eye treatment and surgical servcies. The patients are brought from their villages, operated at the base hospital and then transported back.
One of such patients Mr. Ram's (name changed) delight after surgery is noticeable. Mr. Ram lives alone in Bedwas area of Udaipur, after his wife’s passing away. His only son along with his family left Mr Ram to lead rest of his life in solitude. For earning daily bread, he visited door to door by roaming in streets on bicycle to fetch any kind of repairing work for his survival. However, destiny took him to further trouble, as he suffered from loss of vision since last 1.5 years. Son and dauther-in-law denied help for eye treatment. This made the situation even worse. He became totally dependent on neighbors for food and basic livelihood. Poverty, poor vision and loneliness made him further weak, impacting his psychological wellbeing, even losing his self-respect.
But God was kind to him and one of his well-wishers, who fed him regularly, briefed him about Alakh Nayan Mandir and brought him to the hospital for an eye checkup.
After reaching Alakh Nayan Hospital, he was seen by our doctors. His financial condition was also explained to them. Doctor give him assurance that he will be given good treatment and soon his eye sight will improve, and he need not worry about finances.
He was diagnosed Cataract in both eyes. During vision testing, he was only able to see finger less than a meter distance. Doctors decided to operate his right eye first on 22 July’ 2021. After cataract operation, now he his vision is 6/12. He is able to see clearly and unaided from operated eye.
His life has changed now. He has resumed his daily life again to live with dignity and delight. He gets emotional each time he visits for follow-ups at Alakh Nayan Mandir.
His contentment is our major inspiration.
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