A MATTER OF EXPRESSION.
Working for the cause of prevention and control of Blindness is a task that we have taken on in earnest. The problems are immense and of a magnitude which may be difficult to comprehend. It is first most important to understand that we are not simply talking about restoring sight, but about restoring a way of life. Sight is a life support system because it enhances the quality of life by increasing the confidence and economy and social being of the individual. Most significantly we are talking about the visually handicapped across the economic and cultural strata. Whoever they are and whatever they are the challenges they face are immense.
The level of blindness in India in most regions poses a definite challenge. Economic development of India has not been significant over the last more than 5 decades. Economics interferes in quality of life and health is an integral part of the quality of life. Morever many brave decisions taken in the face of poor economics do not achieve the desired results and therefore economics is a hard reality of life in the health care sector of India.
Eye care through many unique initiatives reached out to the poor and utterly poor in the villages in a manner that would do the world proud. That so many eye specialists and eye hospitals reached out to the needy blind people is historic fact and has gone largely unnoticed because it did not make front page reading.
The Suraj Eye Institute was founded and evolved with the prime thought that it should contribute to the control of blindess in Central India with quality being uppermost. That is, we may not only do surgery for the blind, but do so while treating them with the dignity that any Indian would deserve. That we may provide the best quality of eye care so that we feel in our hearts that we have done them a world of good.
While we planned to do only 25% of our total work as charity, 50% of our work is charitable out of the total surgical work done at the institute. This comes at a huge satisfaction but also at a huge price. The challenge of running a quality eye care centre that is constantly upgraded to meet the challenge of modern day technology, that will continue to attact private patients who will pay for their surgery, that will do pathbreaking cutting research and that will also do a significant amount of charity.
That is the model. A model that would be instantly considered to be unsustainable by lets say a car manufacturer, a construction company or any business. If that is the case then it must surely be a difficulty model for us and I acknowledge that it is.
For so many reasons we request donations. Your donations will provide much value addition to the people of Central India. The value addition of Sight.
Write to me at the following address and pledge your support it gives us that much more courage to continue to do what we are doing and also to enhance our work.
Dr. Vinay Nangia,
MS, FMRF, FRCS, FRCOphth (UK)
Fellow Harvard University
Director
Suraj Eye Institute (a unit of Om Drishti Trust)
559, New Colony
Nagpur. 440 001.
India.
Tel. 0091 712 2595600, 2595636.
email: vinaynangia@surajeyeinstitute.org