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Has conducted over 17,000 free eye surgeries so far and screened over 70,000 children.The Maharashtra government, recognizing its exceptional contributions, has included its eye care services in the Mahatma Jyotirao Phule Health Scheme
India
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Mumbai/New Delhi, January 02, 2025:
In a major community eye care landmark, the leading, hi-tech super-specialty R. Jhunjhunwala Sankara Eye Hospital at Panvel, has performed 25,000 vision correction surgeries as of 2024 December by screening of 93000+ patients covering 9 districts in and around the Panvel region, just two and a half years of its establishment. The 100 beds
hospital has all sub specialties like retina, cornea, Oculoplasty, paediatric ophthalmology, vision therapy, cataract built with support of the Sankara Eye Foundation, USA and Jhunjhunwala Foundation (pioneered by the renowned late investor-turned philanthropist Rakesh Jhunjhunwala).
Under its “Rainbow” initiative, the pediatric ophthalmology team has screened over 70,000 children in Raigad district, providing free glasses and performing surgeries for conditions like squint and cataracts. This high number reflects the extensive spread of eye-related ailments among people at Panvel and surrounding regions like Raigad, Navi Mumbai, Dombivalli and Kalyan. It is also a reflection of the high demand for eye care among people in the Panvel region and the need for higher number of eye specialists for the population.
This inference is clearly established by a study conducted in March 2023 on eye care status in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) by researchers in the Indian Journal of Ophthalmology, which records the number of eye care specialists available per million population. According to the study, the ophthalmologist density in MMR was 80/million. Cataract surgery and glaucoma care coverage were better than other specialties while coverage for oncology and oculoplastic services were low. Annual eye examination practice was poor in the low- and middle-income groups than in the high-income group (48%–50% vs. 85%). Most people preferred visiting eye care facilities within 5 km of their residence and out-of-pocket spending was between 60% and 83%. The study concluded that MMR was in need of further improvement in affordable and accessible eye care, health literacy, public health surveillance, application of newer technologies to provide less-expensive home care for the elderly and minimize their hospital visits, and collection and analysis of big data to address city-specific eye health issues.
The establishment of the R. Jhunjhunwala Sankara Eye Hospital in June 2021 at Panvel proved to be a vital eye care facility for patients in the region and in the context of the study and findings noted above, the hospital’s establishment assumes importance. The hospital’s emphasis on free eye surgeries also supports the finding that the MMR region is in desperate need of affordable eye care. Beyond clinical services, the hospital has made significant strides in community outreach. This ongoing project ensures brighter futures for young patients. Just six months after opening its doors, the hospital achieved NABH accreditation, a gold standard for healthcare quality in India. Initially serving Panvel and its vicinity, the hospital rapidly expanded its services across nine districts, including Raigad, Thane, Palghar, Mumbai, Ratnagiri, Pune, Ahmednagar, Jalgaon, and Satara-Karad. The Maharashtra government recognized its exceptional contributions by including it in the Mahatma Jyotirao Phule Health
Scheme.
Dr. Girish Budhrani, Chief Medical Officer R. Jhunjhunwala Sankara Eye Hospital, Panvel, said: “The hospital is designed to deliver the best-in-class eye treatment for issues related to cornea, retina, glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy, cataract, orbit and occuloplasty, pediatric ophthalmology and strabismus and vitreoretinal services to both the rural and urban population in and around Panvel. It also features specialized departments for eye cancer treatment, vision
therapy for high refractive errors, LASIK surgeries, and an eye bank for corneal donations. Dr. Rajesh Kapse, Unit Head R. Jhunjhunwala Sankara Eye Hospital, Panvel, said, Importantly, the hospital serves people from all walks of life, offering world-class care to the affluent while extending affordable services to the needy, embodying its mission of inclusive healthcare. This state-of-the-art, six-story facility, equipped with cutting-edge technology, and six advanced operation theaters, and a team of highly skilled ophthalmologists has also emerged as a lifeline for the Konkan region, Western Maharashtra.” The community and philanthropic initiative of the Hospital has induced unwavering commitment by its eye care specialists who are transform lives and advancing its mission to bring vision and hope to people in the Panvel geography.
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