The Kaza Eco-Community Centre recently won the Award for Low Carbon Building at the United Nations Climate Change conference in 2016.
PROPOSAL TO ESTABLISH A VISION CARE CENTRE
It is estimated that there are thousands of blind people in the region, with about 2,500 people requiring cataract operations and refractive treatment. This number would double in time without preventative eye care. Currently there is no eye care service within 300km radius of Kaza, the centre of the Spiti Valley. Many find it too expensive to travel and so forgo treatment.
There is a Government hospital in Kaza, but it has no eye care service. Our proposed Eye Centre would be located in the Community Centre and would have a room for surgical operations to be performed and a room for refraction treatment.
INTERNATIONAL EYE FOUNDATION
The International Eye Foundation based in Washington DC USA wishes to establish and support Eye Care to the inhabitants of the Western Himalaya, Spiti Projects is raising £101.000 to supply operating theatre equipment. A refraction clinic is also badly needed for the Eye Care Centre in Kaza, Lahoul & Spiti, Himachel Pradesh North India. This would cover the needs of the outlying areas of the region, Lahoul, Spiti and Kinnour and will give over 60,000 patients annual treatment not currently available.
THE GOALS AND OBJECTIVES OF THE CENTRE
- To create access for the 20,000 inhabitants of Spiti and the surrounding areas to be able to receive eye treatment. Up to now the entire population of Lahoul & Spiti areas has had to travel 300 kms to either Shimla or Manali to receive any kind of eye testing or treatment.
- To offer operations to patients diagnosed with cataracts, or any other Ophthalmic problems. These would be undertaken at the Community Centre by surgeons visiting Kaza from the Rotary Eye Hospital in Palampur at least twice a year.
- To create a self-sustaining, income generation model of eye care services – this will include free care for the needy.
- To install an internet and web connection with an ophthalmologist at the Rotary Eye Hospital in Palampur to confirm diagnosis.
- To enable the people to purchase a variety of lenses and frames of their choice at
affordable prices in Kaza.
BUDGET EXPLANATION
This unique project is to be established in the remote high mountainous region of the Spiti Valley, Himachel Pradesh at an altitude of 12,500 ft.
It will be the first sustainable Eye Clinic to be set up in such harsh climatic conditions. Your generous financial help would make this much needed project possible.
The total initial budget is £101.000 it is important to have equipment of the highest quality to stand up to the harsh climate.
BUDGET PLAN
To get started we need the following – the best quality available
- The Streak retinoscope £500.00
- Direct opthalmoscope £3,000.00
- Lensometer £750.00
- Autorefkeratometer £4,375.00
- Non Contact Tonomometer £4,375.00
- Indirect opthalmoscope £3,000.00
- Vision Charts £20.00 X2
- Lighting, display instruments, stock of frames, lenses £5,000.00
And much more to follow!