Over 11,500 in 40 backward villages benefit from eye camps
The role of Sevalaya in providing good quality education to the poor underprivileged children free of cost is well known. Sevalaya also focusses its attention on another area, health , which is neglected by the villagers for various reasons like poverty, inaccessibility to hospitals and doctors as also lack of awareness.
The villages do not have proper medical facilities and for any medical assistance the villagers have to travel 18 kms either to Tiruvallur, the district capital or Velliyur Primary Health centre. For major eye problems they have to come to Government Ophthalmic Hospital, Egmore. Most of the villagers cannot afford to spend money on travel and treatment.
Earlier camps on Siddha medicines were organized in Sevalaya Campus for the residents of Sevalaya as well as the villagers. About 6 years back, a large eye camp was organized by Sevalaya in association with Sankara Nethralaya and many villagers got benefitted from the camp. From then on regular eye camps are conducted by Sankara Nethralaya and Udhi Eye Hospital.
The Gandhi Team of Sevalaya plays a major role in organizing the camps and so far the camps are heldin 40 villages. The Panchayat leadersextend great support and co operation to hold these camps in their villages.
The camps are conducted in Panchayat President’s office, Village School or Community Hall. The panchayats also sponsor lunch and snacks to the team of doctors and volunteers. “These camps have helped the villagers to gain their vision back” says K.Datchayani, Puliyur Panchayat President.
V. Muralidharan, the Founder and Managing Trustee of Sevalaya says on many instances there were villagers who would stop his car and wish him for providing glasses free of cost.
“We wish Sevalaya organises many more camps like this. My cataract was removed and I got my vision back, only because of Sevalaya. Hadn’t this camp been held in village I would have lost my vision” a villager says with tear in the eyes.
