Palampur Rotary Eye Foundation: A boon for eye patients

Ravinder Sood

Palampur, February 13

The Palampur Rotary Eye Foundation, a charitable voluntary organisation engaged in the service of visually challenged for the last 35 years, has proved to be a boon to the residents of eight districts of the state. It is not only serving patients in Himachal but also from neighbouring states of Punjab, J&K and Haryana.

With the support of the local community, the foundation has established three eye hospitals at Maranda (Palampur), Paragpur (Dehra) in Kangra District and Dhussara in Una District and one Women and Child Care Hospital at Thakurdwara (Palampur).

“All these hospitals are equipped with the latest infrastructure for the treatment of eye patients. All types of minor and major surgeries are conducted here. Since the inception of the three eye care centres, more than 25 lakh patients have visited these institutions. As many as 2,16,418 of 25 lakh patients were operated upon for various eye ailments and their sight restored on reasonable charges. Besides, free of cost surgeries are also performed here for poor patients. Earlier, locals had to go to Amritsar and Chandigarh,” said Raghav Sharma, general manager of the hospital.

The Rotary Eye Foundation was formed in 1981 on International Year of Disabled. It envisaged to create an institution with facilities for detailed investigation, treatment and surgery of all kinds of eye aliments. A campaign to raise funds was floated with the participation of the local community. Today, the hospital has sufficient funds and all modern gadgets. This hospital has emerged as a pioneer institution in northern India.

Dr Shiv Kumar, a social activist who has set up several education institutions in the state, is the founder Chairman of the Rotary Eye Hospital, Palampur.