An extremely laudable effort in not only providing services but also in networking & spreading eye related education as a preventive. Excellent utility of the existing infrastructure.
Shobhana Bhartia
Executive & Editorial Director
The Hindustan Times Ltd.
(02.09.1995)
Journey From Pugal
It all started when Venu’s team went to Pugal, a Block in Bikaner district located in the picturesque state of Rajasthan, India, They had gone their to
screen the children that Shanti Maitri Mission Sansthan (SMMS), an NGO working in the district, had identified for eye care, some requiring a more sophisticated line of treatment and that too immediately. The children were from very poor economic backgrounds and had no means of accessing even basic healthcare, leave alone eye care.
Within a few days of the Venu team reaching back the Base Hospital in New Delhi these children were called for a further check up. Five of them reached Delhi on 15th April, 2004. The youngest of them was three year old Satish and fourteen year old Ramu Lal was the oldest of the lot. All the children were accompanied by a guardian and an Integrated Education Teacher and Outreach Paramedic from SMMS.
Three year old SATISH was a severely anaemic child. Being extremely weak and cranky all he did was cry. His mother had 6 other children to take care of and did not have the time and energy for Satish, being a sickly child unable to even communicate his basic needs. He was abandoned by her in the fields to die! His aunt found him and decided to look after him. When diagnosed with severe anaemia, he had to be given blood transfusion before being declared fit for surgery. Having taken care of these things the doctors at Venu operated Satish for cataract, first in the right eye and then in the left eye on a follow up visit. Satish, has got a new lease on life and is a much happier child now who can look forward to a brighter future now.
AASHIQ HUSSAIN, an eleven year old had no vision in his right eye, which had mature cataract. The vision in his left eye too was not too good as it had immature senile cataract. Aashiq luckily had a supportive family who was cared for him and they brought him to Delhi. Aashiq was hopeful that his journey to this far off place would not go in vain and the doctors at Venu ensured that he went back with perfect sight to be able to enjoy the sights of this world. His eye was successfully operated for cataract and his faith in the doctors did not fail him.
Like the rest of the children who came from Pugal RAMU RAM too belonged to a poverty stricken family. With four brothers and three sisters and a father who is suffering from Tuberculosis, there was never enough for the family to eat. During a screening camp organised by SMMS, Ramu Ram was identified as having cataract. He was declared fit for surgery upon arrival at Venu. First his right and then the left eye was operated. Today Ramu Ram’s joy knows no bounds. At an age when children are on the threshold of adulthood and want to be independent Ramu Ram will finally be able to enjoy the many hues of life.
VARJU looked far younger then her six years. She had never seen the world and its many colours. Varju has three other siblings but she was the only one treated like an outcast. When she was two years of age her mother, fed up of taking care of a blind child hit her so hard that Varju broke a leg. Since then she was banished to a hut outside the house, with the bare minimum food to survive. Her father would come back from the fields in the evening and tend to her. More often than not the child would be starved for food and water in his absence. The father had taken her to various eye camps and was well aware of the fact that his daughter had an eye problem that was curable. However, since he barely had enough to feed the family, taking Varju for treatment was a distant dream for him. The screening camp was a Godsend opportunity for him to get his child treated. Nanu Ram packed his bags the moment he came to know that his daughter could be cured without paying a penny and came to Venu. Varju was successfully operated in both the eyes on two consecutive visits for cataract.The child’s happiness now knows no bounds. She has moved in with her uncle and aunt since surgery. From a petrified and completely non communicative child she has now become a happy child whose smiles are now completely unstoppable.
Thirteen year old GIRDHARI LAL was suffering from Retinal Detachment in his left eye. A bright child, he comes from a family where the main source of income is farming. Despite his inability to see from one eye Girdhari has been a bright and diligent student. He is a confident and bright child because his family, despite limited means, has always given him lots of love and care. Girdhari was operated first on April 23rd, however in the post surgery check up it was noticed that the Retina was not attached, and, therefore, a PPV was successfully performed on April 26th. Now, Girdhari looks forward to his studies and a brighter future.
Three year old SATISH was a severely anaemic child. Being extremely weak and cranky all he did was cry. His mother had 6 other children to take care of and did not have the time and energy for Satish, being a sickly child unable to even communicate his basic needs. He was abandoned by her in the fields to die! His aunt found him and decided to look after him. When diagnosed with severe anaemia, he had to be given blood transfusion before being declared fit for surgery. Having taken care of these things the doctors at Venu operated Satish for cataract, first in the right eye and then in the left eye on a follow up visit. Satish, has got a new lease on life and is a much happier child now who can look forward to a brighter future now.
AASHIQ HUSSAIN, an eleven year old had no vision in his right eye, which had mature cataract. The vision in his left eye too was not too good as it had immature senile cataract. Aashiq luckily had a supportive family who was cared for him and they brought him to Delhi. Aashiq was hopeful that his journey to this far off place would not go in vain and the doctors at Venu ensured that he went back with perfect sight to be able to enjoy the sights of this world. His eye was successfully operated for cataract and his faith in the doctors did not fail him.
VARJU looked far younger then her six years. She had never seen the world and its many colours. Varju has three other siblings but she was the only one treated like an outcast. When she was two years of age her mother, fed up of taking care of a blind child hit her so hard that Varju broke a leg. Since then she was banished to a hut outside the house, with the bare minimum food to survive. Her father would come back from the fields in the evening and tend to her. More often than not the child would be starved for food and water in his absence. The father had taken her to various eye camps and was well aware of the fact that his daughter had an eye problem that was curable. However, since he barely had enough to feed the family, taking Varju for treatment was a distant dream for him. The screening camp was a Godsend opportunity for him to get his child treated. Nanu Ram packed his bags the moment he came to know that his daughter could be cured without paying a penny and came to Venu. Varju was successfully operated in both the eyes on two consecutive visits for cataract.The child’s happiness now knows no bounds. She has moved in with her uncle and aunt since surgery. From a petrified and completely non communicative child she has now become a happy child whose smiles are now completely unstoppable.
Thirteen year old GIRDHARI LAL was suffering from Retinal Detachment in his left eye. A bright child, he comes from a family where the main source of income is farming. Despite his inability to see from one eye Girdhari has been a bright and diligent student. He is a confident and bright child because his family, despite limited means, has always given him lots of love and care. Girdhari was operated first on April 23rd, however in the post surgery check up it was noticed that the Retina was not attached, and, therefore, a PPV was successfully performed on April 26th. Now, Girdhari looks forward to his studies and a brighter future.