CBM India Enhances Bengaluru Rural Eye Health with Screening Kits

Bengaluru, July 22, 2024 – CBM India, a leading organization dedicated to disability-inclusive development, has organized the distribution of essential equipment to strengthen community eye health services in Nandhagudi, in the Bengaluru Rural District.

Forty community health workers, including ASHA workers, auxiliary nurse midwives, and community health officers, received a kit equipped with a backpack, vision charts, a measuring tape, a water bottle, a notepad, and a pen, allowing them to conduct essential eye screenings directly within the community. To ensure effective utilization of the kits, CBM India organized a training session for community healthcare workers on conducting doorstep eye screenings using the provided equipment. This training enabled them to identify potential vision problems and ensure that those who need further care will be directed to the right specialists.

Additionally, as part of the event, CBM India distributed assistive devices to address the needs of persons with disabilities. Seven wheelchairs, three assistive canes, and one commode chair were provided to persons with disabilities in the community.

Talking at the event, Mr. Sony Thomas, Executive Director, CBM India Trust, commented, “Early detection and intervention are crucial for preventing vision loss. At CBM India, we are committed to ensuring that no one in our community is left behind when it comes to timely access to quality eye care. By equipping community health workers with the necessary tools and training, and providing assistive devices to persons with disabilities, we are taking a significant step towards enhancing eye health and improving the overall well-being of the people of Nandhagudi and the neighboring villages.”

By empowering both healthcare workers at the grassroots and persons with disabilities, CBM India is fostering a more inclusive and accessible healthcare ecosystem.

This initiative, implemented by CBM India as part of a Corporate Social Responsibility program, recognizes the challenges that rural communities face in accessing affordable quality eye care services. Over the past year, it reached over 10,000 people through eye screening, around 300 cataract surgeries were facilitated, and more than 700 spectacles were distributed.

The program aligns with and in support of the National Programme for Control of Blindness and Visual Impairment (NPCB-VI).