Tamil Nadu

Rahul for more ‘Aravind model’ eye hospitals in Uttar Pradesh

MADURAI: Congress general secretary and Amethi MP Rahul Gandhi has sought the help of Madurai-based Aravind Eye Hospital for expanding eye care facilities in Uttar Pradesh beyond Lucknow and Amethi through the Rajiv Gandhi Charitable Trust.

The private secretary of Mr. Gandhi held a meeting with the hospital authorities here on Wednesday where he probed the scope for opening more hospitals in Uttar Pradesh based on the ‘Aravind model.’

P. Namperumalsamy, chairman, Aravind Eye Care System, told The Hindu on Friday that the Rajiv Gandhi Foundation was associated with the hospital ever since the eye care hospitals project was taken up at Amethi and Lucknow.

“We had a video conference with Mr. Gandhi sometime back and he asked for extending the services in the existing hospitals being run through the Rajiv Gandhi Charitable Trust. He was also keen to open more centres across Uttar Pradesh and asked us what next,” Dr. Namperumalsamy said.

Stating that Aravind Eye Hospital would play a catalytic role in establishing new centres, he said the locations would be finalised after discussions with Mr. Gandhi’s team.

According to him, the scope for expansion lay in introducing eye care facilities for treating glaucoma and diabetic retinopathy and advanced cataract surgery.

Mr. Gandhi visited the Aravind Eye Hospital twice, both at Puducherry and Madurai, to see for himself the ‘Aravind model’ hospital administration/eye care delivery. Later, the two hospitals were opened at Amethi and Lucknow, Dr. Namperumalsamy said.

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