Expansion

SNTOP to Spread to Other Indian States

After the spectacular success of the Sankara Nethralaya tele-ophthalmology programme (SNTOP) in the triangular states of Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka, Sankara Nethralaya, Chennai has gone a step further by initiating them in other states of the country. Says V Murali, Deputy Manager, Electronic Communication, Shankara Nethralaya, Chennai, "We are planning to now initiate the similar concept of the mobile vans, the similar model in Maharashtra, Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir."

In order to filter to the grass root level of rural India, SNTOP vans are equipped with a spectacle dispensing unit, a satellite connecting consultants and patients in rural areas to consultants at Shankara Nethralaya. It conducts comprehensive eye examinations at the eye camps in selected districts with spectacle dispensing units, eye screening for children and diabetic retinopathy screening camps. Other tests in the van include refraction tests and split lamp examination.

"In Maharashtra, we are coming up in the Vidharbha district. Medical students will be conducting free surgeries for the poor," informs Murali. These mobile vans will start operating in a month's time in the state. "In each of the states, we are collaborating with a local organisation. Like in Sikkim, we are collaborating with Infrastructure Leasing & Financial Services Limited (IL&FS). In Arunachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir we are collaborating with the Ramakrishna Matt," informs Murali. Earlier, Shankara Nethralaya have had collaborates with bigwigs like MSSRF, ISRO and WDF. Operation of these vans in the three states will take some time because there are rounds of discussion in process at the moment.Apart from SNTOP, Shankara Nethralaya also plans to introduce a 'mobile surgical van'. "These vans will go to the villages, identify the patients and conduct surgeries then and there," says Murali. This plan is currently in its ideation stage. Only the design of the mobile surgical van is ready as of the moment.

Nayanatara Som