New mobile clinic brings vital eye care to rural Odisha
Bringing essential healthcare directly to remote villages, a customized mobile eye testing van hit the roads of Bhubaneswar today to combat preventable blindness. Rotary Club of Bhubaneswar Kalinga partnered with Indian Bank to fund and launch this vital resource under their joint "Right to Sight" campaign. Flagged off at the Odisha Knowledge Corporation Limited (OKCL) campus in Jaydev Vihar, the vehicle will now travel across underserved districts to provide immediate optical diagnostics and care.
Rural Odisha has historically struggled with high rates of untreated cataracts and refractive errors due to strict limitations in medical infrastructure outside major urban centers like Cuttack and the capital city. This traveling facility directly addresses that deficit by transporting specialists to the patients, ensuring no one loses their vision simply because they live far from a clinic.
High-Tech Diagnostics On Wheels
Indian Bank financed the specialized vehicle through its corporate social responsibility program, aiming to create lasting health benefits across the state. Field General Manager Aruna M officially handed over the keys to administrators from JPM Rotary Eye Hospital in Cuttack. This hospital takes over the operational duties, guaranteeing the van reaches tribal and isolated belts where residents previously lacked access to basic vision screening. Inside the clinic, modern diagnostic machinery allows technicians to perform on-the-spot vision tests, distribute prescription glasses, and identify patients requiring surgical intervention. Any individual needing advanced procedures will receive a direct referral to the main hospital facility.
Expanding Vision Care Access
District Governor Manoj Kumar Tripathy inaugurated the dispatch, praising the unified effort between corporate and social sectors. He noted that collaborative projects remain crucial for delivering high-quality medical services directly to vulnerable populations. Project Chairman Ajit Kumar Mohapatra played a key role in bringing the different stakeholders together to finalize the customized clinic, ensuring it met all necessary medical standards.
Removing Barriers To Treatment
Eliminating preventable blindness remains the central goal of this ongoing health initiative. Club President Dr. Manoranjan Puthal, who also serves as the Managing Director of OKCL, emphasized that this rollout represents a major step forward for local healthcare equity. By removing geographical and financial barriers, the traveling clinic promises to restore sight and improve the daily lives of countless rural residents across the region. Free medical camps will accompany the van's route, creating an accessible network of support for those who need it most.
