Over in the West Midlands, Redditch Rotary Club have united with their fellow Rotarians in India to raise funds for a new mobile eye clinic.
The Rotary Club of Bhubaneswar in Odisha, Eastern India, are using the funds raised by them and Redditch Rotary, as well as a substantial contribution from The Rotary Foundation, to open what would be the first mobile clinic of it’s kind in Bhubaneswar.
The project was kickstarted after Bichitra Das, Past-President of Redditch Rotary, visited Bhubaneswar, the capital of the Odisha region, and spoke to the members of the local Rotary club.
Speaking to the Redditch & Alcester Advertiser, Bichitra explained: “There are a few private hospitals and eye camps, but they are not doing diagnostic screening.
Current President of Redditch Rotary Mike Luck (left) with fellow member Bichitra Das.
“This mobile unit will be targeting people in the community who do not come to these hospitals, such as the poorer areas and even schoolchildren.
“Instead, people are going to other hospitals which are swamped with really long waiting times.
“And there is no wide network of opticians like there is here where problems are picked up during routine appointments so it will definitely help identify eye problems for many people which would otherwise be missed.”
The goal is for this mobile eye clinic to be the first of three purchased as part of the project to help prevent blindness in diabetics and other retinal diseases like Eales disease in the poorer parts of Eastern India.
Current Redditch Rotary Club president Mike Luck said: “This type of mobile facility has already proved to be successful in reducing sight loss thanks to similar projects by other Rotary Club joint ventures.
“Any help we can get from fellow clubs to get this project over the line would be most gratefully accepted.”
The club is currently accepting donations towards their £8,000 target via their JustGiving page.
