We are conducting diagnostic eye camp activity twice in a week so that the poor tribal people who can’t even afford to come to the hospital on their own due to poverty, can avail the benefits of the services made available near their door step.
The preparation for the camp starts one month in advance, with our camp organisor making visit of the village where the camp is to be conducted. During this pilot visit, he confirms the date with the local leaders and decides the campsite. He also tries to raise some local support in terms of manpower and for making arrangement for food of our team and for operative patients. Then pamphlets and posters are printed and our health educator along with the publicity vehicle does the propaganda around the campsite in approximately one taluka for 2-3 days before the actual camp. On the day of the camp, our team consisting of one Ophthalmologist, 2-3 paramedical workers, optician and health educator will reach the camp site at 9 am. We usually perform refraction at the campsite and provide low cost glasses to patients at the campsite only. All the patients who require surgery are screened for patency of lacrimal sac, glaucoma, diabetes and hypertension at the camp site only. All the patients who require surgery are brought to the base hospital on the same day in our vehicle. All these patients are operated upon in a safe scientific manner next day.
We are conducting routine diagnostic eye camp twice a week. Approximately 100-400 patients turn up for examination and about 20-30 patients come to Mandvi for surgery from each camp. Through these eye camps we are covering the entire Surat district and adjacent rural-tribal areas of Tapi and Narmada districts and also Akkalkuwa Taluka of Maharashtra State. The population covered through these camps is approximately 25 lacs. As a routine, we bring all surgical patients to the base hospital at Mandvi. We provide two way transportation to all patients. At this moment, there are no assured sources of funds either for conducting camps or for surgical work. At times, we get local support for the cost of diagnostic eye camp and sometimes outside agency or individual provide us necessary help.