Sankara unveils mobile eye clinic for rural Karnataka

Bengaluru, Jan 18 (IANS) Sankara Eye Hospital on Wednesday rolled out a mobile eye clinic to treat the affected in rural areas and remote villages across Karnataka in collaboration with global software major Microsoft.

The customised rehabilitation bus 'Maitri' will visit the rural areas and remote villages to treat visually impaired patients and rehab them at their doorstep," said the leading eyecare hospital in a statement here.

Microsoft India, which funded building the mobile clinic under its corporate social responsibility, will maintain the well-equipped vehicle.

"The rehab service will be a boon to the visually impaired as less than 30 per cent of the people in rural areas and remote villages get treated," said Sankara Eye Foundation Founder R.V. Ramani on the occasion.

In a pilot project at Hoskote village on the city's eastern outskirts recently, the Maitri team screened 130 patients, including children for poor vision and treated them in the mobile facility.

"In our view, eye health and vision rehabilitation are means to ensure that people can pursue their dreams. Maitri mobile vision rehab bus is a step in ensuring that healthcare reaches the doorstep of anyone in need," asserted Microsoft India Director Chitra Sood at the service rollout.

As long distances have been a barrier for the blind or visually impaired to access the rehab clinic from other parts of the state, Ramani said the mobile facility will reach them for early treatment.

"Maitri is a model of how a caring corporate, a dedicated organisation, and the state government can work together to help over 500 visually impaired from rural communities gain independence annually," added Ramani.