MUMBAI EYE CARE CAMPAIGN
The “Mumbai Eye Care Campaign” is a Sightsavers International initiative under the “Seeing is Believing” project of Standard Chartered Bank. The Campaign has been conceived with a two - fold strategy; First to detect and treat 1.5 million people across various slums in Mumbai for refractive error, and second to equip the entire population of Mumbai with primary eye care awareness..
The campaign is planned for five years and is developed from a successful pilot project conducted in Dharavi, Asia’s largest slum. Through this campaign Sightsavers International intends to establish a model for refractive error management, which could be replicated by other players in eye care, including various government agencies.
Aims and objectives of MEC
To work towards raising eye health awareness amongst the population of Mumbai- 10 million people
To establish quality and affordable refractive error services through community based organizations and NGO hospitals.
To develop human resources and capacities in Mumbai
To promote the development of appropriate low vision, refractive and optical services for the marginalised needy sections of the city
To screen a 1.5 million slum population for refractive error and dispense approximately 1 lakh spectacles
Why Mumbai?
Around the world an adult goes blind every 5 seconds and a child every 60 seconds. 19.5% of all blindness in India is due to refractive error. Sightsavers International is a member organisation of “VISION 2020” - A global initiative for the elimination of avoidable blindness, launched jointly by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness (IAPB), and has launched the Mumbai Eye Care Campaign in line with the objectives of Vision 2020 – to eradicate avoidable blindness. The population of Mumbai is estimated to be 12.7 million. Maharashtra has an estimated slum population of 10.64 million people and 49% of these people live in the slums of Greater Mumbai. The Campaign will focus on developing refractive error services for the Mumbai District, specifically in selected slum areas. A pilot project has already taken place in Dharavi, Asia’s largest slum to substantiate the need for refractive error services in Mumbai. The campaign apart from catering to the slum population of Mumbai will also focus on groups such as rickshaw drivers, taxi drivers, construction workers and domestic workers.
How will the Mumbai Eye Care Campaign function?
The campaign looks at having a holistic approach in the following ways :
Service delivery :
Vision Centre: The Vision Centre works as the heart of the campaign. An integral component of the Vision Centre is the “Health Worker” who will visit homes to identify people with eye problems and refer them to the Vision Centres for further diagnosis. At the Vision Centre a team of qualified Optometrists will screen people for refractive error, diagnose them and dispense spectacles. People who need advanced treatment will be referred to partner hospitals.
Networking:
The campaign will work to create a network of all eye related service providers, technicians, hospitals, NGO’s, Government bodies to ensure that eye care services are readily available to one and all.
Awareness & Sensitisation:
The campaign will look to propagate the cause of eye health awareness via popular channels to reach the population of Mumbai. Mediums like TV, Radio, Cinema and the print media along with support from respective film/TV stars will be harnessed to raise the awareness drive. Documentary films will be made to propagate the cause and to enhance partnerships. Events will be organised at Colleges to educate and encourage students about eye care; Car rallies and cricket matches for the blind will be organised to draw attention to the cause. Sensitization programs will be conducted for people from all walks of life ranging from corporates to labour unions to increase eye care awareness.
Committees :
To develop a well rounded approach the campaign will have multiple committees to strengthen and enhance the impact. These committees will consists of dignitaries, experts and renowned professionals form various agencies like health department, NGO’s, government bodies, media etc who will facilitate and guide the team to achieve the desired goals.
The Campaign Partners :
Sightsavers International- Royal Commonwealth Society for the Blind ~ Standard Chartered Bank ~ Lotus College of optometry- Juhu ~ K.B. Haji Bachooali Hospital ~ Xaviers Resource Centre for Visually Challenged ~ National Association for the Blind ~ Blind People’s Association .
Lets make Mumbai an “Eye Friendly” city
For More information please contact:
Project Manager MEC
Sightsavers International, A-3 Shivdham, New Link Road Kanchpada, Malad (w) Mumbai – 400064 Phone : 022 - 28821919 Email:
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