R. Jhunjhunwala Sankara Eye Hospital performs 25,000 vision correction surgeries

The R. Jhunjhunwala Sankara Eye Hospital in Panvel has completed 25,000 vision correction surgeries by December 2024, just two and a half years after its establishment. Over 93,000 patients have been screened across nine districts, including Raigad, Navi Mumbai, Dombivli, and Kalyan. The hospital, supported by the Sankara Eye Foundation, USA, and the Jhunjhunwala Foundation, is a 100-bed facility offering specialties such as retina, cornea, oculoplasty, paediatric ophthalmology, and cataract care.

The hospital’s “Rainbow” initiative has screened over 70,000 children in Raigad district. The programme has provided free glasses and surgeries for conditions like squint and cataracts. This reflects the high prevalence of eye-related ailments in the Panvel region and a pressing need for more eye care specialists.

A study published in the Indian Journal of Ophthalmology in March 2023 highlights the challenges in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) regarding eye care access. The region has an ophthalmologist density of 80 per million population. Cataract surgery and glaucoma care are more accessible than oncology and oculoplastic services. Annual eye examination rates are lower in low- and middle-income groups compared to high-income groups, and many people prefer eye care facilities within 5 km of their residence. The study emphasises the need for affordable and accessible eye care, public health surveillance, application of new technologies for elder care, and data analysis for city-specific health issues.

The establishment of the R. Jhunjhunwala Sankara Eye Hospital in June 2021 has provided essential eye care services for the region. The hospital’s focus on free surgeries aligns with the study’s findings, addressing the affordability gap in the MMR. In addition to clinical care, the hospital has implemented extensive community outreach initiatives for young patients.

Six months after opening, the hospital achieved NABH accreditation, a benchmark for healthcare quality in India. Initially serving Panvel, it now provides services across nine districts, including Raigad, Thane, Palghar, and Pune. The Maharashtra government recognised the hospital’s contributions by including it in the Mahatma Jyotirao Phule Health Scheme.

Dr Girish Budhrani, Chief Medical Officer of the hospital, explained the facility’s capabilities: “The hospital is designed to deliver the best-in-class eye treatment for issues related to cornea, retina, glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy, cataract, orbit and oculoplasty, paediatric ophthalmology and strabismus, and vitreoretinal services to both the rural and urban population in and around Panvel.”

The hospital also features an eye cancer treatment centre, vision therapy for high refractive errors, LASIK surgeries, and an eye bank for corneal donations.

Dr Rajesh Kapse, Unit Head, highlighted the hospital’s inclusive approach: “The hospital serves people from all walks of life, offering world-class care to the affluent while extending affordable services to the needy, embodying its mission of inclusive healthcare. This state-of-the-art, six-story facility with six advanced operation theatres has emerged as a lifeline for the Konkan region and Western Maharashtra.”