Karnali Region Sees 953 Free Eye Surgeries in Past Fiscal Year

Kathmandu. Free eye surgery services have been provided to 953 people in various districts of Karnali Province. The Himalaya Eye Hospital Pokhara, operated by the Nepal Netrajyoti Sangh, provided the service through free eye camps conducted in the past fiscal year 2082/83 in the extremely remote and inaccessible communities of the province.

According to Subas Nepal, Chief of External Programs at the hospital, the hospital provided eye treatment services to more than 17,000 citizens of the province in the last fiscal year. During that period, 7,217 people underwent free eye examinations through external programs, while 10,432 people received eye treatment services through eye treatment centers operated under the hospital, according to a statement issued by the hospital. Thus, a total of 17,649 people were provided with eye health services in Karnali Province in one year through external programs and eye treatment centers.

Under the Himalaya Eye Hospital, eye treatment centers are in operation in Chandannath Eye Hospital Khalanga-Jumla, Manma-Kalikot, Simkot-Humla, Sinja-Jumla, and Gamgadhi-Mugu in Karnali Province. Through these hospitals, treatment centers, and community-level external programs and camps, eye examination, treatment, necessary counseling, and surgery services are being provided to citizens living in geographically remote areas.

According to the hospital's Chief Medical Director Dr. Babita Gurung, the hospital provided eye treatment services to 188,914 people through its outpatient department alone in the last fiscal year. According to the statement, among the service recipients, there are 106,459 women and 82,498 men. Approximately 56 percent of the total service recipients are women and 44 percent are men.

Surendra Thapamagar, Chairman of the Himalaya Eye Hospital Management Committee, informed that plans are underway to further expand and strengthen specialized eye treatment services in Karnali Province. Magar, who is also a senior advocate, said, "There are plans to provide regular specialist services through eye specialists in Jumla and to develop services as 'surgical centers' in three other districts of Karnali to provide eye surgery services at the local level. To reduce the compulsion of traveling far for basic eye treatment and surgery due to geographical remoteness and transportation difficulties, specialist and surgery services are being expanded to the district level."

This is expected to enable citizens in remote areas to receive timely and quality eye treatment and surgery services in their own districts or from nearby service centers.

Meanwhile, an annual work plan and review meeting of eye hospitals and eye treatment centers operated by Nepal Netrajyoti Sangh under Himalaya Eye Hospital in Gandaki and Karnali Provinces was recently held in Pokhara. Representatives of eye hospitals and eye treatment centers, eye specialists, health workers, and stakeholders from these provinces participated in the program.

At the event, Chairman of the Himalaya Eye Hospital Management Committee, Senior Advocate Magar, General Secretary of Nepal Netrajyoti Sangh Bharat Bahadur Chand, Central Vice-President of Nepal Netrajyoti Sangh and Gandaki Province President Prof. Dr. Dil Bahadur Chhetri, and Executive Director of the Sangh Dr. Shailesh Kumar Mishra presented on the Sangh's activities and work plan.

The meeting reviewed the achievements and progress of the last fiscal year and formulated the work plan for the upcoming year. Executive Director of the Sangh, Dr. Mishra, informed that discussions, experience sharing, and future strategies were developed in the meeting on expanding access to quality eye health services at the community level, expanding specialist and surgical services in remote areas, and enhancing the capacity and service effectiveness of eye treatment centers.

Himalaya Eye Hospital has been providing eye health services to the citizens of Gandaki and Karnali provinces through hospital-based services, eye treatment centers, external programs, and free eye camps. The hospital has prioritized its upcoming programs with the goal of expanding specialist and surgical services, especially in the remote districts of Karnali, to provide quality eye treatment services close to the citizens.

Five Crore Two Lakh 489 People to Receive Eye Treatment Services in 2025

According to the Sangh, from its establishment until the end of 2025, through its network of 28 eye hospitals, 44 district branches, and 226 eye treatment centers, a total of five crore two lakh 489 eye patients, including Nepali citizens and citizens of various other countries, have been provided with eye treatment services, and 56 lakh 59 thousand 624 eye surgeries have been performed.