24 Septemer 2024, Hazaribagh: India, with 15 million people living in blindness, accounts for a quarter of the global blind population. The surprising fact is that 85% of blindness cases are treatable if diagnosed early. However, rural India faces a significant shortage of eye doctors, with only 20,000 ophthalmologists in the country, 75% of whom reside in urban areas. Diseases like cataracts, glaucoma, and diabetic retinopathy, which are the main causes of blindness, go untreated in rural areas due to a lack of accessible care.
Nav Bharat Jagriti Kendra (NBJK) established Lok Nayak Jai Prakash (LNJP) Eye Hospital in 2005, addressing this critical need. Operating in Jharkhand and Bihar, the hospital treats around 2.5 lakh patients annually and performs 25,000–30,000 cataract surgeries each year, offering hope to those in need.
Recognizing the increasing demand for eye care, NBJK launched the LNJP Paramedical Institute in 2019. This institute, affiliated with the Jharkhand State Paramedical Association-Govt. of Jharkhand, provides a two-year Diploma in Ophthalmic Assistant course. Each year, 40 students, including 20 sponsored by CMPDI, Ranchi (A Mini Ratna Company of Govt. of India), are trained in eye care, with a focus on girls from poor and backward communities.
The comprehensive course covers theoretical knowledge, hands-on training with advanced ophthalmic equipment, and patient care skills. The students gain the expertise by working in LNJP Eye Hospital and dealing with patients in eye screening camps in villages. Their placement rate is 100%. They find employment with well-known companies like Lenskart, Titan Eyeplus, Eye Hospitals, Nursing Homes or start their own ventures, earning Rs. 20-25,000 monthly.
This initiative not only offers respectable employment opportunities for youth but also significantly improves eye care accessibility in rural areas. Through LNJP Paramedical Institute, young individuals are transforming communities by bringing essential eye health services to the doorstep.
About the author : Anand Abhinav
