Alakh Nayan Mandir Eye Hospital Leads in Blindness Prevention

Udaipur(Shabnam Banoo ) For the past 27 years, Alakh Nayan Mandir Eye Hospital has played a pioneering role in the prevention of blindness, providing free eye care to nearly 800,000 people. The hospital’s significant achievements include setting a record for the highest number of individual cataract surgeries performed by Dr. Laxmansingh Jhala, earning him a place in the London Book of Records.

In a press conference held today, Dr. Laxmansingh Jhala, the Medical Director of Alakh Nayan Mandir, highlighted the hospital’s contributions under the National Program for Control of Blindness (NPCB), a project initiated by the central government in 1976. Despite limited resources, the government has involved non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and local eye hospitals to accelerate blindness prevention efforts across the country.

Dr. Jhala explained that Alakh Nayan Mandir has been implementing this project throughout southern Rajasthan, providing free eye care to millions. However, he expressed concerns about the lack of support from the local health department, which has hindered the project's progress. Blindness remains a significant issue, particularly in regions like Dungarpur, Banswara, and Pratapgarh.

He further elaborated that while the implementation of the central blindness prevention scheme is well-supported in states like Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat, where local health departments actively collaborate with NGOs and eye hospitals, Rajasthan's response has been less effective. 

Dr. Jhala also stressed the importance of timely retinal examinations for premature babies. He noted that premature births can result in underdeveloped retinas, leading to blindness if not promptly treated. Alakh Nayan Mandir has specialized services for various eye conditions and has successfully treated 1,367 premature babies’ retinas over the past five years.

Dr. Laxmi Jhala, the hospital’s director, highlighted the prevalence of congenital cataracts caused by rubella and malnutrition in villages. Alakh Nayan Mandir has provided eye care to over 1.335 million people, with 60% of the treatments being free. The hospital has conducted more than 550 corneal transplants, the highest in the region, and regularly organizes 20 to 25 eye camps per month in rural areas. Over the past decade, the institution has held 3,990 free eye camps.

Furthermore, the hospital has screened the eyes of over 335,000 children in 1,865 schools and conducted door-to-door surveys, examining more than 400,000 individuals in the last four years. Alakh Nayan Mandir has played a leading role in making 15 villages in the Jhadol region blindness-free and aims to extend its efforts to 25 more villages.