Sankar Foundation has launched a new vision centre to increase its services to the people living in and around Anakapalle.
The hospital plans to start 40-50 such centres initially at mandal headquarters of Srikakulam, Vizianagaram and Visakhapatnam districts and later expand further in phases.
The initiative aims to offer quality eye care services while saving patients of the trouble of coming all the way from far-flung areas to the base hospital in the city.
The initiative will also be used by patients, who undergo surgery, for post-operative check-up at the centre itself.
The first such centre was inaugurated at Anakapalle by MLA Gudivada Amarnath on Friday.
Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Amarnath commended the services of Sankar Foundation to patients, particularly, in successfully implementing the government’s prestigious programmes like Dr. YSR Aarogyasree and Dr. YSR Kantivelugu.
He also thanked the foundation for the launch of the first centre in Anakapalle.
K.B.N. Manimala, Managing Trustee and CEO, Sankar Foundation, said that the foundation was in the process of identifying partners with qualified optometrists, who were trained and experienced in screening and identification of all kinds of eye ailments.
These vision centres would work under the aegis of Sankar Foundation and extend services to people in and around Anakapalle and surrounding villages.
Tele-ophthalmology support was provided from the base hospital for advice in case of serious eye problems. The centre would also create awareness about emerging eye problems like diabetic retinopathy and glaucoma and will also provide periodic eye testing for those above the age of 40 years.
She said that all the patients requiring surgical intervention for vision threatening diseases like cataract, glaucoma, retina, orbit and lid-related eye problems would be referred to the Sankar Foundation Eye Hospital for further management.
Poosarlapati Raja, of Raja Opticals, the partner of vision centre, was present.
