CONGRATULATIONS TO MR. G. NEETHIRAJAN
Mr. G. Neethirajan has been awarded Ph.D (Bio Medical Sciences) from Madurai Kamaraj University. He was a Research Scholar from 2002 -2005 who worked under the guidance of Dr.P.Sundaresan, Senior Scientist, Department of Genetics, Aravind Medical Research Foundation on “Molecular Analysis of PAX6 Gene in Indian Aniridic Patients”.

FORMAL INAUGURATION OF PRIYAMVADA BIRLA ARAVIND EYE HOSPITAL
Kolkata, May 1, 2007
Compassionate world-class eye care at an affordable cost has come to serve Kolkata and other areas in the eastern part of the country with the formal inauguration of Priyamvada Birla Aravind Eye Hospital, Kolkatta in its own new 5 storeyed facility by Shri Somnath Chatterjee, Hon’ble Speaker, Lok Sabha. While opening the Hospital, the M P Birla Group’s latest contribution to the city’s healthcare facilities, Shri Chatterjee described it as a “wonderful gift” to the city of Kolkata and “great acquisition” for the city. Appreciating the commitment of the M P Birla Group towards serving society he said the inspirations and efforts behind setting up the Hospital were to be cherished.
      Initially the hospital with the nomenclature of M.P. Birla Eye Hospital was started in December, 2001 with the clinical and administrative support of Aravind. In 2006, the hospital was moved to its own new 5 storeyed building with the name of Priyamvada Birla Aravind Eye Hospital.
      Shri Bikash Ranjan Bhattacharya, Mayor of Kolkata, said the hospital had come in keeping with Kolkata’s pace of progress. Appreciating the philanthropic activities of the Group, he said its Chairman Shri Rajendra S Lodha had been working in realizing the dreams of Smt Priyamvada Birla. With the setting up of Priyamvada Birla Aravind Eye Hospital it would no longer be necessary to go to the South for eye treatment.
      Shri Rajendra S Lodha, Chairman of M P Birla Group said the Hospital, established in collaboration with Aravind Eye Hospital and Post-Graduate Institute of Ophthalmology, Madurai, was a major step in realizing the dream of Smt Priyamvada Birla to have a world-class institution of ophthalmology in Kolkata. He emphasized that more than 60% of eye surgeries would be almost free of cost at the Hospital. “Our aim is to eradicate needless blindness in this part of the country on the strength of well-trained and highly-motivated staff, doctors, optometrists, nurses and others. In this Hospital, we plan to treat 2,50,000 patients and perform 20,000 surgeries per year, including 100 corneal transplants”, he added.
      Dr. P. Namperumalsamy, Chairman, Aravind Eye Care System and President Aravind Medical Research Foundation, Dr. G. Natchiar, Director (HRD), Aravind Eye Care System and Dr. S.Aravind, Administrator, Aravind Eye Hospital, Madurai and other eminent personalities were present at the function.
      Dr. P. Namperumalsamy, said Aravind’s “relationship with the M P Birla Group is just a beginning and together we will strive to eradicate needless blindness in this part of the country. He said that in association with ISRO “we have V-Sat Tele-Medicine Connectivity with all our hospitals, which is also linked with universities like Wilmer Johns Hopkins. Through this facility, all the patients can receive the expertise of specialists. The Priyamvada Birla Aravind Eye Hospital will have all expertise, including well-qualified medical and paramedical staff, equipment and other facilities to address the sight-threatening eye diseases. This joint endeavor serves all the needy people”. He announced that the Union Ministry of Human Resource has been approached for permission to set up Aravind University for Ophthalmic Sciences.
      At a press meet, Dr. P. Namperumalsamy, Dr. G. Natchiar, Doctors and Senior Executives of Priyamvada Birla Aravind Eye Hospital told that this Hospital is equipped to perform the much talked about corneal surgeries like Limbal Stem Cell Transplant (Direct) and Deep Stromal Anterior Keratoplasty, where different components of a single cornea is used successfully in multiple patients. The Hospital has a functional Eye Donation Centre to spread awareness and will soon start the Hospital Corneal Retrieval Programme (HCRP).The 40,000-sq. ft Hospital with modern infrastructure will provide emergency services, supported by super-speciality eye clinics and seven state-of-the-art operation theatres. The services offered include comprehensive eye check-up, orbit oculoplasty, glaucoma, cataract & IOL, uvea, retina and vitreous, paediatric ophthalmology & strabismus and day-care facility.
      Priyamvada Birla Aravind Eye Hospital will introduce outreach services, including free screening camps in schools and rural areas, as well as senior citizens’ awareness meetings and teachers training programmes. It has joined hands with the Vision 2020-The Right to Sight movement to eliminate blindness by 2020, launched by WHO and a task force of international NGOs.

PATIENTS ENROLLMENT FOR NEW TREATMENT OPTION :
Aravind Doctors’ contribution
Alimera Sciences, CTMS and Harrison Clinical Research are jointly sponsoring a trial of an innovative treatment option for patients with Diabetic Macular Edema. For this purpose they have decided to enroll a total number of 900 patients in various parts of the globe. 65% enrollment has been completed so far.
      The purpose of the study is to increase the quality of life for people with Diabetic Macular Edema.
      A large number of ophthalmologists practicing at various places across the world have been enlisted for enrolling patients who give consent to subject themselves to the new treatment trial.
      It was targeted to enroll 200 patients in India by April, 2007. However 130 randomized patients have been enrolled during this period and the enrollment continues.
      “Alimera sciences Global Newsletter” has mentioned the names of Dr. Narendran, Aravind-Coimbatore, Dr. Ravindran, Aravind-Puducherry and Dr. Ramakrishnan, Aravind-Tirunelveli in the enrollment performance column. Out of the 7 doctors who have enrolled the 130 patients for the study in India, the share of the Aravind doctors stands at 59. The break up: Dr. Narendran-28, Dr. Ravindran- 27, and Dr.Ramakrishnan - 4.
      Aravind News congratulates our doctors for their contribution to the enrollment drive.

INAUGURATION OF NEW VISION CENTRES
Kallidaikurichi Vision Centre was inaugurated on May 16, 2007 by Dr. R. Ramakrishnan, Chief Medical Officer, Aravind-Tirunelveli. It is 30 Kms away from Tirunelveli. 73 patients were registered on the inaugural day at out patients department, which was the highest ever among all the Vision Centers on the inaugural day.
      Srivaikuntam Vision Centre was inaugurated on May 18, 2007 by Dr. R. Ramakrisnan, Chief Medical Officer, Aravind-Tirunelveli. It is 28 Kms from Tirunelveli. 50 outpatients were registered on the first day.
      Aravind has blended information technology innovatively into these centers facilitating online (live) consultation for each patient with the ophthalmologists at the Aravind-Tirunelveli which is a low cost telemedicine approach. This approach which is unique helps patients acquire right treatment advice directly from ophthalmologists which saves lot of time and money to the patients. These centers charge a nominal charge of Rs.20 /- for outpatient visits. The services include comprehensive eye screening, refraction, first aid, active referral, school screening and creating awareness and eye health education and prescription and dispensing of spectacles for the refractive error patients at the centre on the same day. Other services like testing for diabetes, etc. are also provided. In addition to the above said services, irreversible blind persons are identified by the field workers and rehabilitated through appropriate training on life skills.

An acknowledging nod here, a smile there, laughter, courtesy and much more. That is what I will always remember of Aravind.
      Doctor from cornea clinic - you made a difference in my life and gave me and changed my thinking with regard to my condition. I thought that surgery was the only way to go, but now I know better and I will not hesitate to refer anyone to Aravind Eye Hospital. Now I know that God planned it all. The way you monitored me right from my arrival to my departure, I may not have the right words to express my sincere gratitude but just know as my doctor you have given me an experience I will live to remember. Thanks to you and your team I can see with both eyes, I am doing well. Both eyes are adjusting to working together and I am back to work.
      The sisters and other support staff - thank you all so much for your kindness and assistance. You made our stay memorable. I ended up not feeling like a patient at all. Never tire of the good work that you do because it’s a calling.
      Contact lens Dept - my sincere thanks to all for your patience and tireless efforts in ensuring that you gave my eyes a second chance.
      I might have forgotten some people but pass my gratitude to all. May Madurai people know that in you and through you all they are truly blessed to have an excellent eye hospital.
      "I can't change the direction of the wind, but I can adjust my sails to always reach my destination" - Jimmy Dean

REPAIRED SIGHT, REPAIRED BICYCLES, REPAIRED LIFE

The monsoon rains had set in, and business was slow at Manjunath’s bicycle repair shop in Bangalore. It had been a hard month, and his work was barely earning him enough to feed his family, but now his children’s school fees were due, so he often stayed late at the store ,hoping an extra customer might trickle in.

After waiting in vain one rainy night, the 28-years –old father mounted his bicycle and rode home through the streets, distracted by his worries.

The next thing Manjunath remembers, He was lying in a district hospital, surround by his family. He had lost his left eye in the accident, and the doctor said that, he need the globe of my right repaired, as well as traumatic cataract surgery.

He was operated on and the doctor told Manjunath that his vision would slowly return, but after three months. Even though his wife had diligently Put in his eye drops everyday, his vision did not improve; in fact, it seemed to get worse.

Manjunath’s elder brother Ayanar, who lived in Tamilnadu, had heard of difficult cases being treated in Aravind, and suggested that they travel to Madurai for another opinion. By this time his vision had become so poor that he was totally dependent on an attendant to take him around.

Manjunath said that after hearing about Aravind from his brother he had a trust that he could see back if he go to the Aravind Eye Hospital. They also came to Aravind. After a battery of tests were performed at Aravind , Manjunath was told his retina was torn and wrinkled, and that while another operation might restore some of his vision it was unclear how much. He was admitted and operated on the following day. He had the surgery of closed retinal detachment. The surgery had done for three hours. It is a difficult procedure.

Six months later, Manjunath’s retina was attached, and his sight is excellent. He is already back at work and his children have returned to school. Stopping by at Aravind for a routine post operative appointment recently, he was told by the doctor that his retina remains well attached. “I will always remain indebted to Aravind”, he says.

Source : Ms. Priya, Retina Co-ordinator

MAY 2007
	Madurai	Theni	Tirunelveli	Coimbatore	Puducherry	Managed Eye Hospitals	Total
HOSPITAL OUT-PATIENT VISITS
Paying (New-Review)	38,524	5,286	17,078	26,510	16,735	9,252	113,385
Free (Direct walk-in)	13,206	1,612	5,270	9,280	5,074	-	34,442
OUTREACH OUT PATIENTS
Regular Eye Camps	9,360	2,012	3,029	11,587	6,951	3,072	36,011
Diabetic Retinopathy Camps	2,116	-	1,193	1,255	3,230	-	7,794
Refractive Camps	756	2	390		259	1,633	3,040
School Eye Screening	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Vision Centres	802	1,787	772	-	-	-	3,361
Community Eye Clinics	-	-	2,053	1,733	-	-	3,786
TOTAL OP EXAMINATIONS	64,764	10,699	29,785	50,365	32,249	13,957	201,819
BREAK UP OF TOTAL SURGERIES
Paying	5,329	342	1,873	3,182	1,453	421	12,600
Free (including the subsidized camp surgeries)	6,001	519	2,018	5,080	2,176	910	16,704
Camp	11,330	861	3,891	8,262	3,629	-	27,973
TOTAL SURGERIES	22,660	1,722	7,782	16,524	7,258	1,331	57,277