Elderly Residents in Siraha's Mirchaiya Municipality Receive Free Cataract Surgery at Local Camp

Siraha. Sukram Saday, 85, of Murabari, Mirchaiya Municipality-7, had been experiencing blurred vision for over 8 years. Due to his weak financial condition, he had not been able to seek treatment until now. He suffered from watery eyes, blurred vision, and sometimes a sensation as if something suddenly covered his eyes, but he could not afford treatment due to financial constraints.

After his two sons failed to care for him, Saday sought refuge with his daughter, but after her passing, he became virtually helpless. He had been managing his livelihood solely through his social security allowance and could not even contemplate getting his eyes treated.

Saday, who faced difficulties even moving around because both eyes were covered by cataracts, found treatment possible when a camp was organized in his own locality. Although he had cataracts in both eyes, the surgery was performed on his left eye this time. After the surgery, he can see clearly. He was overjoyed to have his eyesight restored.

He said, ‘I used to worry that I might die without getting my eyes treated. I am very happy to be able to see after receiving treatment at a camp organized in my own area.’

He was not alone. Gopal Kaper, 82, of Mirchaiya-1, was suffering from poor vision in his right eye. Being from a poor economic background, he had been unable to get treatment. He is delighted that the municipality brought a camp to his area for treatment. Kaper said, ‘Where would we get this much money? I am very happy that doctors from such a big hospital came to my own locality to treat my eyes.’

Janaki Devi Sah, another 73-year-old widow from Mirchaiya, had been suffering from cataracts for 3 years but could not afford treatment due to financial constraints. Her operation was performed for free today because a camp was held in her locality. After the operation, she said, ‘I was constantly thinking about how to get treatment after my vision became blurry. Today, I had the operation at the camp and can see clearly. I thank the municipality and the hospital for arranging this opportunity.’

She happily added, ‘It felt like a cloud was covering my eyes, or something was covering them. I can see well after the eye operation. It should be easier to work now.’

Not just Saday, Kaper, and Sah, but 312 people underwent cataract surgery at the camp. Their surgeries were performed free of cost at the comprehensive eye camp that included vision testing, cataract selection, and spectacle examination, organized in collaboration between Mirchaiya Municipality and Tilganga Eye Hospital.

‘The hospital has been providing free eye treatment through camps by going abroad and within the country from time to time in collaboration with various supporting organizations for those deprived of eye treatment due to economic and other reasons,’ said Basudev Adhikari, an eye officer at Tilganga Eye Hospital. ‘Following the hospital's plan, comprehensive eye treatment was provided through a camp in Mirchaiya, Siraha this time.’

He stated that this operation would cost around 28-30 thousand rupees if done at the hospital. Officer Adhikari said, ‘The hospital charges 14 thousand for the operation done here alone. Besides that, other examinations, medicines, and travel expenses amount to 28-30 thousand per person. This is a significant sum for families with ordinary economic conditions.’

Mirchaiya Municipality Mayor Shrawan Kumar Yadav informed that extremely destitute, Dalit, and poor people received treatment at the camp. He stated that he requested Tilganga Eye Hospital to organize the camp after receiving information that elderly people from Dalit and destitute families were facing eye problems but not receiving treatment.

Rajan Kumar Sah, Chief of the Health Branch, informed that 4,550 people received eye treatment at the screening camps held from Chaitra 2 to 8 in every ward and at the Mirchaiya Hospital. Of these, 312 underwent cataract surgery, Sah stated.

He mentioned that the camp was completely free, and surgery, medicine, and spectacles were also provided free of charge. He shared that the patients incurred zero expenses for their treatment.