RAAHI launches eye care centre for truck drivers in Guwahati

Guwahati: Sightsavers, a development organisation working to eliminate avoidable blindness, aims to reach out to more than 15,000 truck drivers in Guwahati.

It is estimated that more than 40% of truck drivers in Guwahati are expected to have a refractive error.

Sightsavers India launched a one-of-its-kind Vision Centre in North Eastern India, Guwahati under RAAHI- National Truckers Eye Health Programme with the support of Cholamandalam in Guwahati, Assam. 

The inauguration took place at the Jalpaiguri Centre for the Development of Human Initiatives. 

This is Sightsavers’ first footprint in the North-East touching the east-west corridor. RAAHI seeks to ensure that truckers with refractive errors receive prescription glasses in the most convenient way possible while ensuring they wear them consistently and that they seek regular eye examinations. 

The Project looks forward to supporting the members of the trucking community with health care focusing on eye health. The program uses an integrated hub-and-spoke model at the vision centre. The program provides drivers with vision screening, refraction, blood pressure examinations, body weight measurements, cataract check-up services, and eye-health counselling along with referral advice. 

The event was graced by the presence of Siddhartha Purkayastha, Sr. Asst. VP & RBM-North East-Guwahati-VF-Cholamandalam and Tanmoy Sinha, Senior Assistant VP-Zonal, HR-Kolkata-Business Enabler, Cholamandalam.

Mr RN Mohanty, the CEO, of Sightsavers India, said, “We are now one more step closer to completely eradicating avoidable blindness from India and encouraging people to live a life of dignity and purpose. I would like to express my sincere gratitude to Cholamandalm for supporting us in this great humanitarian cause.”

Mr Narendera Kumar (Sr. Associate VP -HR Operations & CSR -Chennai CHOLA) said, “Commercial vehicle crew members are often subjected to significant health hazards and risks, failing health conditions, especially deteriorating eyesight.

They are always on the highway, which robs them of the opportunities to seek timely check-ups and health care. With the backing of significant experience across 1148 locations in India for the last 44 years, we at Cholamandalam understand the hardships faced by commercial vehicle crew members (CVCMs). Our aim is to provide support and bring assistance to them and their family members. We are executing a slew of supporting activities all free of cost blended with technology and with a focus on sustainability through our CSR efforts. We are positive that our latest vision centre project in the North- East would help the CVCMs enter a better life.”

Sightsavers’ work in India, which started in 1966, has supported the treatment of millions of people with eye disorders and brought eye services to some of the least-served areas of the country. 

Sightsavers India works in 8 states, and 20 cities, enabling people with disabilities and those with preventable blindness to lead lives of independence and dignity.

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