Date:06/03/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/03/06/stories/2008030652540300.htm

Andhra Pradesh

Eye hospital a boon to locals

S. Harpal Singh

ADILABAD: In just two and half years of its existence in Adilabad, the Seshanna Chennawar eye centre run by the L.V. Prasad Eye Institute (LVPEI) has managed to become for the locals, the apple of their eye. In the month just gone by, a record 204 eye surgeries were performed by a single doctor at this hospital that merited from their organisation best employee awards for all the 25 persons working here.

“We at the LVPEI, Hyderabad are used to handling comparatively more number of patients. That way, its cool over here,” observed Dr. Prashant Gupta, providing an insight into the work culture prevalent here. It goes to the credit of this cool customer that he not only performs about eight operations, but gives check ups to over 50 out patients every day, most of them from poor sections of the society. The trend started in January this year that took this centre to the top of the list among 16 similar facilities in Andhra Pradesh.

The eye centre opened in June 2005. Until March of 2006, over 560 patients underwent eye operations mostly for cataract. During the next year starting in March, over 1,000 surgeries were performed here of which 815 were done on patients in the non payment category. This year, until February end nearly 1,300 operations were performed.

“The reason for our popularity is the drop out management by way of education and awareness we carry out among patients from rural areas through our nine primary eye care centres. The post operative follow up has also given us good results,” explained S. Naresh Rao, the centre’s administrative officer.

“Because of the increasing inflow of patients we will soon be alloted one more doctor. Besides, three more primary centres will be opened in rural areas in the district. We are treating emergency cases round the clock and have applied for permission to hold out patient treatment on Sundays also,” he added.

Dacryocystectomy and Dacryocyst Rhinostomy operations are also performed at this hospital.