Cataract surgery performed for first time at Deepalaya
Moving forward with its aim of providing quality healthcare facilities to the underprivileged people, Deepalaya for the first time conducted free cataract surgery at Chameli Dewan Rural Health Centre (CDRHC) in Gusbethi, Haryana on 7th September, 2011.
Moving forward with its aim of providing quality healthcare facilities to the underprivileged people, Deepalaya for the first time conducted free cataract surgery at Chameli Dewan Rural Health Centre (CDRHC) in Gusbethi, Haryana on 7th September, 2011.
The surgery was performed by Dr. Suresh Gupta- Ophthalmic Surgeon and his team. The surgery benefited 7 patients from the vulnerable sections of the society from the villages of Kiruri, Gusbethi and Khor Baisi. The patients were diaganosed with Cataract and were suggested a surgery in a health camp earlier organised by Deepalaya in association with Dr. Shamim Ahmed (Consultant, City Hospital, New Delhi).
For 85 year old Bathi, a resident of Gusbethi, her profession of mid-wife was suffering due to cataract. Earlier she was approached by many villagers for delivery of babies. She was not able to see things clearly for sometime and was diagnosed with cataract. Soon the villagers stopped calling her to avoid any complications. She contacted many private hospitals for the treatment but the high costs and limited means available restricted her to opt for the treatment.
“Now I could resume my work and also train my daughter in law she is attending the deliveries of the village women,” says Bathi, a beneficiary of the surgery.
33 year old Sakir is a happy man now thanks to the free cataract surgery. Now he could resume his day-to day work and could also work in his field without depending upon his wife and his brother. Sakir was diagnosed with cataract at an early age. He approached many private hospitals and was suggested a surgery. The higher costs involved restricted him from getting one as he had a huge family of 10 members to support and thus he suffered for a long time. He was depended on his wife and children for small day to day works and felt helpless.
“I am thankful to Deepalaya for getting my surgery done free of cost. Now I could do my daily work on my own and could support my family,” says the 33 year old resident of Khor Baisi village.
Deepalaya believes that a healthy life is important for the well being of an individual. Thus besides laying importance on education of children to make them self reliant, equal stress is laid on the health care facilities of the elders. CDRHC which was established with support from Dewan Foundation, UK, has been providing health care services to the 15 villages of Haryana since 2005 with special emphasis on eye and maternal and child health cases.
Further with cataract being pointed out as the major challenge all over the developing world including India and 75 per cent of the elderly population in India heading towards blindness arising out of cataract, Deepalaya aims to bring down the percentage to some extent if not completely.
About the Author
Ravi Pahuja
Noida
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