By: Shelby Washington
The Udaygiri Lions Eye Hospital (ULEH), managed by the Udaygiri Lions Association of Udgir, has been operating in Maharashtra, India since 2005. As a secondary-level eye care facility, ULEH provides cataract surgical services, along with cornea, glaucoma, retinal and pediatric specialties.
Maharashtra, a state in western India with a population of over 112 million people, is the second most populated state in the country. Over half of the population lives in rural areas and 17.35% (19.5 million) of the population lives below the poverty line by government standards.
The National Programme for the Control of Blindness (NPCB) estimates that there are approximately 39,000 people affected by blindness in India. The main causes of blindness are cataract, uncorrected refractive errors (URE) and glaucoma, with URE and cataract being the leading causes of visual impairment.
Diabetes mellitus (DM) also presents a growing challenge. In India, approximately 128,700 people are affected by DM. About 20% of diabetics (25,740) are expected to develop diabetic retinopathy (DR), and of those, 20% (5,148) will require treatment. While DR is not currently a main cause of blindness, its prevalence is likely to increase along with the growing rate of diabetes.
With blindness and visual impairment being an expanding issue, Lions in District 3234-H2 wanted to expand the ULEH. The project committee used a US$451,534 SightFirst Grant to expand the physical space and equip the base hospital, allowing ULEH to increase the number of patients by 25% over three years. The grant went toward constructing and equipping a separate building for the Aruna Abhey Oswal Centre for the Blind and Visually Impaired (AAOCBVI), a training centre, five new vision centres, and a diabetic retinopathy program in 400 villages within the hospital’s catchment area. Project Chairperson, Lion Dr. RN Lakhotiya says, “Thanks to LCIF, we were able to dream bigger. They gave us the opportunity to provide care for hundreds of people, sparking life-changing results.”
Additional facilities were also developed including a Dharmshala (Dormitory) that will accommodate up to 100 patients and relatives to stay the night before operation, the MJF Lion Ashok Mehta Auditorium & Training Centre for community education and leadership training, a 24-hour reception and registration centre and a 10,000 square foot residential area for housing and training up to 140 students. “Before this expansion, the hospital did not have the capacity to reach everyone in need. Since this project, vision impairments that once felt unavoidable can now be prevented,” says Lion Dr. RN Lakhotiya.
Vision Grants from LCIF support Lions-led service activities that fight blindness and preventable vision loss and/or assist people who are blind and visually impaired in underserved communities.
Learn more about how Vision Grants can make a difference in your community.