GUNTUR: Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Sunday inaugurated a state-of-the-art Super Specialty Eye Care Centre at Sankara Eye Hospital in Pedakakani, Guntur district, reaffirming his government’s commitment to health and well-being under the vision of a “Healthy, Wealthy, Happy Andhra Pradesh.”
Addressing the gathering, Naidu said that “poor health is the true form of poverty,” emphasising that good health is foundation of development.
He lauded the Shankara Eye Foundation for its decades-long service to the underprivileged, noting that it has transformed millions of lives through free eye check-ups and surgeries.
Established under the guidance of Jagadguru Sri Sri Sri Shankara Vijayendra Saraswati Swamiji of the Kanchi Kamakoti Peetham, the Shankara Eye Foundation operates 14 hospitals across 10 States. Together, they have performed over 30 lakh free eye surgeries and screened 70 lakh children.
The hospitals collectively carry out around 750 free surgeries every day, supported by a workforce of 2,268 and 2,576 beds nationwide.
The Guntur branch, which began operations in 2003, has performed more than 4 lakh free surgeries and 9 lakh screenings. With 300 beds, it caters to 2,500–3,000 patients daily and runs pioneering programs like Rainbow, focusing on pediatric eye care, and Gift of Vision, a rural outreach initiative that has organised over 32,000 free eye camps.
Naidu assured full government support to organisations that serve the poor selflessly and praised the spiritual and social service legacy of the Kanchi Kamakoti Peetham.
He also announced a series of upcoming healthcare initiatives, including a Universal Health Insurance Policy providing up to Rs 2.5 lakh per individual and Rs 25 lakh per family.
Additionally, health records of all five crore residents will be digitized to build comprehensive health profiles, enabling better preventive and curative care.
“Health is the greatest wealth,” Naidu said, adding that his administration aims to create a society free from poverty and disease, in line with the vision of Jagadguru Sri Adi Shankaracharya.
During the visit, the Chief Minister toured the hospital’s departments and reviewed its surgical services and eye bank operations. As a token of appreciation, the hospital presented him with a shawl and a traditional Thanjavur painting.
Union Minister Pemmasani Chandrasekhar, local MLAs, and representatives of the Shankara Eye Foundation were present.