Rahul Gandhi inaugurates eye hospital in Gurgaon

CHANDIGARH: Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi today inaugurated Indira Gandhi Eye Hospital at village Raipur near Sohna in Gurgaon district of Haryana.

The 16-bed hospital would offer comprehensive services and provide access to quality eye care to the marginalised section of society and to low middle income as well as poor strata from both rural and urban areas, Rahul was quoted as saying in a release here. He said that both the poor and the rich would get similar treatment facilities in this hospital.

"The hospital would not wait for the patients to come, rather the team of hospital would visit the far flung areas and check their eye sight. The needy would be brought to be hospital and operated," he said.

The Congress Vice President Rahul also spoke about a small girl Mohsina whose parents thought that she was mentally-ill but when doctors examined her, she was found to have poor eye sight. After treatment, her life has completely changed, he added.

This is the third Indira Gandhi Eye Hospital run by Rahul Gandhi Charitable Trust (RGCT), the other two are in Amethi and Lucknow. The two hospitals had treated more than 15 lakh patients and cataract operations were performed on about two lakh patients.

The Chief Executive Officer of Indira Gandhi Eye Hospital and Research Center Dr. Anil Tara said the RGCT was established in 2002 as a not for profit, professionally managed institution for addressing the development needs of the under privileged of the country especially the rural poor.

He said that the Indira Gandhi Eye Hospital and Research Center (IGEHRC) was established in 2005 to eliminate avoidable blindness and bridge the gap between demand and supply of affordable high quality eye care particularly in northern India. At present, a dedicated team of more than 300 professionals are committed to realize the IGEHRC's vision.

Dr Tara said that the BPL Families will be provided free service at this hospital and other patients will be provided up to 70 per cent subsidized treatment depending upon their income. He said that village Raipur has been selected for this hospital because it is an example of Hindu-Muslim unity.

He said that village Raipur has been selected for this hospital because it is an example of Hindu-Muslim unity.

Earlier, the former Sarpanch of village Raipur Aas Mohmmed and present Sarpanch Ateh Mohmmed presented turban as to Rahul Gandhi while former Sarpanch of village Ulhawas Surender presented a Shawl.

Rohtak MP Deepender Singh Hooda, Haryana Ministers Randeep Surjewala and Aftab Ahmed and MLA Rao Dharampal were also present.