18th July 2024 : To address the issue of childhood blindness in three districts of Uttar Pradesh, Sitapur, Lakhimpur Kheri, and Bahraich, Orbis, a non-profit organization working for the prevention and treatment of avoidable blindness, supported its partner Sitapur Eye Hospital to form a Children’s Eye Centre (CEC). The CEC launch is a part of Phase 2 of the Sitapur Eye Hospital – Orbis Comprehensive Childhood Blindness Project.
This initiative will build further capacity of the partner hospital through training and infrastructure development to deliver quality children’s eye care services in the base hospital as well as the community.
At the launch event, Derek Hodkey, President and CEO, Orbis, said, “We are incredibly proud to partner with Sitapur Eye Hospital Trust on this transformative project. Establishing the Children’s Eye Center is a significant achievement in our mission to minimize cases of avoidable blindness. This project will not only improve access to essential eye care services for children in Uttar Pradesh but also set a new standard for quality and sustainability in pediatric eye care.”
Dr. Rishi Raj Borah, Country Director, India, Orbis, stated, “Phase II of the Comprehensive Childhood Blindness Project represents a major step forward in our efforts to combat childhood blindness in India, with a special focus on Uttar Pradesh. By expanding our services to include a dedicated Children’s Eye Center (CEC) and strengthening community outreach, we aim to provide lasting, impactful solutions for children in Sitapur, Lakhimpur Kheri, and Bahraich.”
Col. (Dr.) Madhu Bhadauria, Director – Regional Institute of Ophthalmology, Sitapur & Chief Medical Officer, Sitapur Eye Hospital, commented, “We are honored to collaborate with Orbis on this crucial project to enhance childhood eye care in our region. The new CEC will serve as a beacon of hope for countless children, offering them the gift of sight and a brighter future. We look forward to working together to achieve our shared vision of a world where no child suffers from avoidable blindness.”
The newly established CEC at Sitapur Eye Hospital (SEH) will serve as a cornerstone for enhancing pediatric eye care services in the region. Over the course of the three-year project, which commenced on January 1, 2023, and will continue until December 31, 2025, the CEC will focus on reducing avoidable childhood blindness and visual impairment through comprehensive eye care solutions.
SEH will develop and disseminate Information, Education, and Communication (IEC) materials. It will also operationalize a multi-pronged outreach plan for screening in the community, schools, and Anganwadi centers. Orbis has strengthened existing vision centers to deliver pediatric eye care services. All these measures will enhance the quality of life of the children in the catchment area due to the availability of early quality eye examination, care, and support, thus allowing them to perform better in academic and co-curricular activities and to live a healthy life leading to productive adulthood.
Orbis is a global non-profit organization dedicated to preserving and restoring sight through hands-on training, public health education, and partnerships with local health organizations. Orbis transforms lives by ensuring access to quality eye care, advancing the skills of eye care professionals, and advocating for eye health worldwide.
SEH has been a leading tertiary eye care institute in India since 1947. It serves more than 32 cities and towns in the states of Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh. Today the base hospital in Sitapur is a 500-bed facility and has more than 1,500 beds spread across the rest of its 32 branches. The hospital also houses the Nehru Institute of Ophthalmology & Research, which was established keeping in mind the growing need of specialized treatment and qualified professionals in ophthalmology.