Sightsavers inaugurates its 14th vision centre for truck drivers in Haryana

Sightsavers with the support of Cholamandalam Investment and Finance Company Limited has inaugurated its 14^th vision centre under RAAHI – National Truckers’ Eye Health Programme.

Sightsavers realises the importance of eye health for the overworked truckers’ community in ensuring road safety. Since drivers can’t get to eye care services, Sightsavers in India have created a system which takes the services directly to them. RAAHI is one of the biggest eye health programmes in the country for the overworked truck drivers’ community.

The 14^th vision centre under RAAHI was inaugurated with the implementation support of Sri Sanatan Dharam Mahabir hospital and CSR support of Cholamandalam Investment and Finance Company Limited in Karnal Transport Nagar – Karnal Trucker operator union premises. The intervention aims to provide refractive error and referral services for the truck drivers and allied community thereby contributing to road safety.

Several dignitaries from Cholamandalam Investment and Finance Company Limited, our partner hospital Sanatan Dharam Mahabir and Sightsavers were present during the inauguration. The event was attended by over 40 truck drivers, management personnel from our partner hospital and Amrit Dhara Hospital, besides regular staff. The RAAHI vision centre is situated in the premises of Karnal Truck operators’ union, the epicentre of trucking community business in Karnal, Haryana. The space for the vision centre is provided free of cost by the truck operator union as community contribution and a gesture of support.

The vision centre will be managed by a team of optometrist, vision technician, and two community health workers.  It will remain open five days a week (Monday to Friday) from 9.00 AM to 5.00 PM followed by an outreach camp in the surrounding area of 5 to 10 kilometres on the sixth day. The beneficiaries will receive free spectacles if diagnosed with refracted error, which will be provided on the spot in case of hyperopia (farsightedness) and within 12 working days in case of myopia (nearsightedness). For other eye ailments, they will be referred to Mahabir Dal Hospital and can receive the requisite treatment on a subsidised rate post diagnosis.