MADURAI: Like any similar institution, Aravind Eye Hospital was started, more than four decades ago, as a venture to provide high-quality and affordable eye care. However, it slowly transformed into a mission to uplift rural women trapped in the clutches of poverty and exploitation.
Dr G Nachiar, one of the founding members of the hospital, started the two-year mid level ophthalmic personnel (MLOP) programme along with her husband Dr P Namperumalsamy (Dr P Nam), to train rural women in eye care free of cost.
Armed with academic knowledge and clinical expertise, these women would go on to join as Ophthalmology assistants in Aravind Eye hospitals spread across the state.
Aravind Eye Hospital, founded by Dr Venkataswamy as an 11-bed facility operating from a rented house in 1976, has now grown to accommodate 320 paying patients and 770 free patients. Over the years, it has also become an accredited teaching institution and has received the entry-level certification by the National Accreditation Board for Hospitals & Healthcare Providers.
It was Dr Venkataswamy’s sister Dr G Nachiar, Director Emeritus of the hospital, who pioneered the MLOP programme which brought light to the lives of thousands of rural women.
Dr G Nachiar was working in government service after completing her MS in Ophthalmology when her brother founded the hospital. She and Dr P Nam started assisting at the hospital after their working hours. Medical camps organised by them to raise awareness did wonders and started attracting more patients.
Soon after, Dr Nachiar joined as a full-time doctor on her brother’s advice.
Revealing the genesis of the paramedical programme, she said, “In my native, women were forced to work in fireworks and matchbox industries. To empower them, we started the MLOP programme with the assurance of providing employment. We gave opportunities to rural children, who completed Class 12, aged 18 or above. Initially, 50 girls joined. We taught them how to carry out Ophthalmic procedures.”
“Following the programme’s success, we expanded it across the state. Now 1,000 girls enrol in it every year. They are our treasure. We treat our employees as our own. Our success mantra lies in their involvement at every level. We never think of ourselves as owners of the institution, we are all paid employees here,” she tells TNIE.
For over 40 years, the MLOP programme has been transforming women from rural backgrounds into world-class eye care professionals.
VS Krishnaveni (46), who is working as a manager of the Retina clinic, is one such individual. A resident of Karuvelampatti village in Thirumangalam, Krishnaveni completed MLOP training in 1994 and has been working at the hospital ever since. “It was a great opportunity for me. The training was provided free of cost, along with a stipend, after which I got employed here with a decent salary. If not for this job, I might have been working as an agricultural labourer,” she says.
M Lakshmi, a resident of Periyakulam in Theni district, is another beneficiary of the programme. “This course and the employment here transformed me in all levels,” says Lakshmi, who has been working as a nursing supervisor at the hospital for the past 33 years.
At present, nearly 6,000 employees work in 164 Aravind Eye Hospitals across Tamil Nadu and Puducherry.
“We are now concentrating on taking the institution to the next level with sustainable practices like banning single-use plastics and harnessing 80% of energy from solar panels across all hospitals,” shares Dr Nachiar.
While Dr Nachiar has been credited with the MLOP programme, Dr P Nam, Chairman Emeritus and professor of Ophthalmology, played a key role in transforming Aravind Eye Hospital from a cataract-focused eye hospital to a world-class eye care provider.
He started Vitreous Surgery Centre at Government Rajaji Hospital, Madurai, first of its kind in India and Retina Vitreous Clinic at Aravind Eye Hospital in 1979.
“In India, eight million people suffer from diabetes, and 20% can lose their eyes without symptoms. Periodical health check-ups can prevent this blindness. Aravind Eye Hospital has initiated programmes in Theni district and plans to extend to other districts,” he says.
(Edited by Adarsh TR)