Keeping this major fact in

focus, the society had decided to keep all its O.P.D facilities absolutely free of charges. All the facilities available in the general O.P.D., whether it is general checkup, Computerized Refraction, Computerized field analyses, Computerized Pachymetry, A-Scan Ultrasound & Biometry, YAG laser for after cataract etc along with doctor’s consultancy is provided absolutely free.

Free O.P.D Figures for Fiscal Year 1999-2000: & 2000-2001

Comparative figures of previous years showing the increase in O.P.D figures:-

In the fiscal year 1999-2000 the organisation has conducted 361 free eye camps.

In these camps the total number of patients examined and treated was 39,707. Out of these 4,578 needed surgical intervention. 4,521 cases were operated for cataract and 87 patients operated for other ailments including glaucoma, pterygium, entropion, ectropion etc.

Free medicines were distributed to 28,562 patients attending the camp OPDs

In the fiscal year 2000-2001, 461 free eye camps were conducted.

In these the total patients examined and treated was 56,367. Of these 6,473 needed surgical intervention. 4,693 cases were operated for cataract, an additional 1,694 were operated for cataract with IOL Implantation and 86 patients were operated for other ailments.

Free medicines were distributed to 31,194 patients attending the camp OPDs

These operations were conducted in the districts of Jaipur, Dausa, Tonk, Sawai Madhopur, Bharatpur, Karoli, Alwar, Nagaur, Sikar of Rajasthan and Datia (Madhya Pradesh).

The School Health Programme is an integral part of the Health Promotion Package provided by Eye Research Centre Society. It is our belief that the messages of Health, Hygiene & Nutrition delivered to an individual at a very young age, would benefit the society for a longer period of time. A proper education and awareness campaign will have a much more lasting and effective outcome, due to the longer life expectancy and more importantly, due to the impressibility of the individual and the desire to learn at a younger age. This is why all our School Health Programmes incorporate an attempt towards I.E.C. (Information, Education and Counseling)

Schools of Jaipur and near by districts were covered with a series of screening camps. These include the services of Pediatricians, E.N.T. specialists, Dentists and Ophthalmologists. The purpose of school check-up programme is to evaluate general health, medical and surgical problems, eye diseases & refractive errors at an early stage. In this exercise, examination of the students is done by trained doctors. A specific health card and letter was issued to the parents of children suffering from various ailments advising them about the problem, suggesting treatment and referral where necessary. Medicines were given to students where required in the government schools covered. For Public school students, belonging to higher socio-economic status families, the medicines were prescribed. For refraction with dilation the children are advised to visit the hospital for a free of charge consultation on any day convenient to the child or the concerned school.

In 1999-2000, 15 schools were covered under this programme, benefiting 10,616 school children. Of these 1469 were detected to have refractive errors.

In 2000-2001, 47 schools with 12,396 children were examined, of which 2,296 were suffering from refractive errors.

Since the School Health Programme in these two years were run entirely on the Society’s own funding, without any external financial support, the total children benefiting in these years was below the previous years figures, and also provision of free spectacles was not possible. However Pediatric and general medicines were provided as and when required, free of charge to the children.

The progress achieved during the last 4 year is as following:

The society is affiliated with different NGOs and provides its technical expertise and support for the betterment of the society. The society also plays an active role in mobilization of public opinion and lobbying for provision of better health care facilities for the society in general.

1. Shri Parshvanath Jain Medical Relief Society – Complete team of doctors and paramedical staff for the regular patient Eye checkup and OPD (run every alternate day) is provided by our society. All operations, medicines and services to the eye camps of the society is provided by our organisation. In fact all operations are conducted at our hospital.
2. The regular Paediatric OPD and camps organized by the above on the 10^th of every month are being conducted entirely by our team of doctors and staff
3. Kanhaiya Lal Charitable Trust: Complete eye camp work including OPD and operative work is conducted by our team of doctors.
4. Indian Council of Child Welfare– Team of doctors and paramedical staff are provided to ICCW for their regula r health related projects.
5. Eye Research Centre Society is an active member of Rajasthan Voluntary Health Association and actively participates in all it’s activities related to prevention of blindness.
6. The Society has been a major medium through which a large majority of Cataract Operations performed in Rajasthan with association of HelpAge India have been conducted.
7. The Society regularly conducts screening camps, school health check ups, medical checkup for cretches and slums for various organisations including GENTS International, Snehal Vanita Sangh, Lions Club, Rotary Club etc.
8. Medical & Health Services, Rajasthan Government, Jaipur: Our society provides support in terms of manpower –paramedical staff for the various government projects as and when asked for. Teams are provided for programmes including surveys, Pulse polio programme etc.
9. Teams of Medical and paramedical staff are provided for various surveys, studies and research activities to many organisations including Indian Institute of Health Management Research, SERVE etc

On 10^th July 1999, a Healthy Baby Contest was organized, where emphasis was laid on, not just on physical development, but also on mental development including immunization status of the child by expert paediatricians. Such a comprehensive evaluation was the first of it’s kind in Jaipur, and we are still receiving calls for a repeat performance. The team of technical experts comprised of Dr.Raj Bhandari, Dr. H.S. Bhasin, Dr.S.Sitaraman and Dr. Monisha, as well as a host of other doctors and paramedics.

The contest was used as a medium of awareness generation as well, by setting up a comprehensive video show on nutrition, a poster exhibition comprising of a series of informative posters related to health, hygiene and nutrition. A special counseling cell was setup to discuss with all the participants guardians the various specific problems of their wards and also to educate them of the ways and means of prevention and cure.

On 11^th July 1999 a state of the art Neonatal Intensive Care Unit was started under the aegesis of Eye Research Centre Society. Along with this the existing Paediatrics department was upgraded and equipped with the latest equipment.

The NICU equipment procured included Ventilators, Multichannel Monitors, apnoea monitors, infusion pumps, CPAP machines, open care systems, photo-therapy equipment, nebuliser, stadiometer, ultrasonic height assessment machine etc.

Now it will be possible for us to provide the best medical care to the new born. The department is fully equipped with latest machines required for the child care under critical conditions.

The N.I.C.U. was inaugurated on by Shri Pradyuman Singh (IAS)

The society from time to time has organised many educative and awareness generating programmes for the masses with a view to promoting Safe motherhood, Immunization, Child survival, Breast feeding, etc

Under this concept the Breast Feeding Week was celebrated between the 1^st August to 7^th August 2000. During this week various activities organised include:

• Painting competition for children on the importance of Breastfeeding
• Poetry competition for mothers, expectant mothers and women below 35 years of age
• Awareness generation poster exhibition focussing on breastfeeding

In these competitions over 400 participants registered and participated. The poster exhibition was kept open for the general public from 2^nd to 7^th August 200.

An award and prize distribution ceremony was organised on the 7^th August, in which Shri D.S. Sagar (IAS) Divisional Commissioner, Rajasthan was the Chief Guest and Ms Laxmi Bhawani (UNICEF) was our distinguished guest.

This project was sponsored by UNICEF.

Teams of doctors and paramedical staff were sent to slum areas and cretches for basic health check-up. Here they provided medical care as well as imparted knowledge about basic concepts of health care and nutrition.

Slums & Cretches covered in 1999-2001 are as follows:

Eye Research Centre Society runs various educational programmes on full time basis for training of doctors, paramedical staff and voluntary health workers. These training courses include:

• Diploma in Ophthalmic Techniques.(Paramedical training)
• DNB Degree (equivalent to post graduation MS)
• House job for doctors.
• Specialty training in Ophthalmology for MBBS doctors.

These courses are conducted with affiliation and recognition from the Medical Council of India, National Board of Examinations and The Federation of Ophthalmic Research & Education Centres.

A large number of the Indian population is blind or at the best, unable to see properly because of refractive errors. Due to the indiscriminate prescription of "over the counter" spectacles by untrained opticians and so called optometrists, the general public is unaware of their exact problems and end up spending a good amount of money without their problems being resolved.

To a certain extent, the cause of this is the absence of trained qualified Ophthalmic assistants/ ophthalmologists properly trained in the art of refraction in our country today. Facing this ground reality, the society decided to implement a training programme for the Ophthalmologists and Ophthalmic assistants so as to enable them to do a good refraction and properly prescribe spectacles and contact lenses.

A training course was incepted in November 1999 and it was decided to conduct the first training session in May 2000. An information brochure was mailed to different eye care centres of the country for the same. The course is being run with the active participation and support of the National Ophthalmic Association and financial support of Bausch & Lomb Pvt.Ltd.

The first session was conducted from 14^th May to 27^th May 2000, in which 19 participants from Haryana, Himachal, Punjab, Bihar, Andaman & Nicobar participated. The closing ceremony and certificate distribution was conducted on the 27^th May, in which Dr. Sikander Sawhney, Joint Director Blindness, Medical Health & Family Welfare Services, Rajasthan Government was the chief guest.

The second session was conducted from 1^st to 13^th July 2000, in which 29 trainees from Rajasthan participated.

The 3^rd training session was conducted from 1^st to 12^th August 2000, in which 31 participants were trained form Rajasthan, Himachal, Haryana, Bihar and Gujarat. A combined certificate distribution ceremony for the 2^nd & 3^rd Batch was conducted on the 12^th August, in which Dr. D. Bacchani, Deputy Director General (Ophtho), Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, New Delhi was the chief guest.

It was subsequently decided to conduct the training course only twice a year i.e. May and August every year.

To further dissemination of knowledge of the latest techniques and technological advances in the field of Cataract surgery, a workshop was organised emphasizing on the procedures of Phacoemulsification and Small Incision Cataract Surgery (SICS). The workshop was organised with a view of "skill sharing", especially for the young ophthalmologists of Rajasthan.

This two day workshop was organised on the 22^nd and 23^rd July 2000. On the 22^nd a live interactive surgical session was organised. On the 23^rd July a morning session of live surgeries was followed by an evening session of Didactic Lectures. Among our honoured faculty were Dr. H.s.Chundawat, Dr. M.Punjabi, Dr. A.Kshetrapal, Dr. G.L.Verma and Dr.R.M.Sahai.

The workshop was attended by 74 doctors of Rajasthan.

In association with Bausch & Lomb Eye Care Pvt Ltd, a 2 day training programme was organised on the 10-11^th February 2001, with a view to train opticians in the correct techniques and methodology of dispensing and prescribing contact lenses.

This programme was attended by 41 opticians and ophthalmologists from Jaipur and nearby towns.

In association with Bausch & Lomb Eye Care Pvt Ltd, a 2 day training programme was organised on the 10-11^th February 2001, with a view to train opticians in the correct