When it comes to healthcare, access to vision care is often overlooked. But in one growing town, a new initiative is changing that. Thane, a suburb in Mumbai, India, is considered one of the fastest growing cities in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region due to people seeking work in the area. Sensing an increased need for quality eye health care due to current and projected growth, Lions in India decided to invest in the Bhakti Vedanta Hospital (BVH) to address community needs.
BVH is a full-service hospital located in Thane, providing a variety of eye care services, including cataract surgeries and various screenings. Lions in District 323-A3 saw the growth in demand for eye health care and thought it would be best to increase BVH’s capacity to perform cataract surgeries and strengthen the range of eye health care provided in the Mumbai area. They utilized a Lions Clubs International Foundation (LCIF) SightFirst Grant, along with funding from the Aruna Abhey Oswal Trust (AAOT), to construct and fully equip a new, two-story ophthalmology wing at BVH called the Lions Juhu Aruna Abhey Oswal Super Specialty Eye Care Centre.
“Eye health is an important factor in individuals’ quality of life,” LCIF Trustee and Past International Director (PID) Aruna Abhey Oswal said. “Unfortunately, without access to eye care, people are forced to live with debilitating vision issues that could otherwise be treated by professionals, which is why SightFirst Grants are so critical.” SightFirst Grants support high-quality, cost-effective, equitable and sustainable eye care projects by emphasizing infrastructure development, human resource training, eye health care service delivery and eye health education.
Since its opening in May 2022, the new wing has served more than 18,000 people through outpatient consultations. It has also diagnosed over 3,200 cataract cases and performed over 3,000 successful cataract surgeries. Improved vision following cataract surgery can significantly enhance quality of life. It allows people to engage in activities that others may take for granted, such as reading, driving, working and being able to see family members. Additional services provided in the new wing include essential screenings and treatment for diabetic retinopathy, glaucoma and uncorrected refractive errors. By providing such essential services, the centre will improve the overall eye health of the community.
In their continued commitment to serving vision needs, the project committee has also started establishing four additional vision centres in the region to provide eye health care for even more people. “LCIF SightFirst Grants amplify our impact and make it possible for Lions to address critical eye care needs within our communities,” Oswal states. “This makes a profound difference in the lives of millions of people worldwide, and as an LCIF donor, I am so glad to know LCIF’s partnership with the Aruna Abhey Oswal Trust will enable thousands of people to leave the Bhakti Vedanta Hospital with restored vision.”
Since 2014, LCIF’s partnership with the AAOT has helped provide Lions with grant funds that empower service across the globe, supporting humanitarian projects in a variety of the foundation’s focus areas. These generous donations expand Lions’ reach to people and communities in need. Even before this partnership began, however, Oswal was among LCIF’s strongest supporters.
When generosity intersects with a vision for service, community needs that were once overlooked, like eye health care, can be addressed, and Lions can boldly continue changing lives—one person at a time.
Learn more about SightFirst Grants and how you could use one in your community.
Shelby Washington is the content specialist at Lions Clubs International Foundation.
