Annamayya, March 11, 2023: L V Prasad Eye Institute (LVPEI)’s rural secondary centre in Madanapalle, Annamayya district, Andhra Pradesh, has been upgraded with the support received from the V C Parekh Charitable Trust (Charitable trust of the Hyderabad-based Parekh Textiles Pvt Ltd). In recognition of the support received the centre has been named ‘V C Parekh Eye Centre’. The upgraded facility was inaugurated on 11 March 2023 by Mr Premal Parekh, Managing Director, Parekh Textiles Pvt Ltd, members of the Parekh family and the senior management team of L V Prasad Eye Institute.
The centre has been upgraded with (a) state-of-the-art ophthalmic equipment for examining and diagnosing complete range of eye diseases, including Cataract, Glaucoma and Retina (b) advanced surgical facility for treatment of Cataract and Glaucoma (the most common causes of vision loss) (c) low vision and rehabilitation services for those with irreversible vision loss and blindness (d) support services such as optical lab, cafeteria and accommodation facilities for doctors and trainees. School and community eye screening programs will be organized to promote good eye health practices and for early diagnosis of eye problems.
'Weekly, on average, over 350 outpatients were examined, and 40 surgeries were performed at the Madanapalle eye centre. With the upgraded facilities, the centre will now be able to serve over 20% more patients annually and provide 50% services free of cost to those from underprivileged backgrounds. It will greatly benefit the population in and around the Annamayya district by bringing advanced quality eye care services closer to their doorsteps. We extend our sincere gratitude to V C Parekh Charitable Trust for their generous support,' said Dr Prashant Garg, Executive Chair, L V Prasad Eye Institute. Those with complex eye problems will be referred to LVPEI’s advanced tertiary centre in Vijayawada.
'The V C Parekh Charitable Trust is committed to empowering underprivileged rural communities. For an improved quality of life and economic development, good eyesight is important. We are happy to partner with L V Prasad Eye Institute in this initiative of making high-quality eye care services accessible and affordable for the people in this region,' said Mr Premal Parekh, Managing Director, Parekh Textiles Pvt Ltd.
The Madanapalle Rural Secondary Eye Care Centre, now named the V C Parekh Eye Centre, is spread across 4.75 acres of land with a 12,000 sqft built-up area. It started its services in 2007 and to date over 102,857 outpatients have been examined and over 10,123 surgeries performed at the centre. Additionally, eight Vision Centres (Primary Eye Care Centres) spread across the Annamayya district are connected to this centre where people are provided primary eye care services free of cost.
About L V Prasad Eye Institute: Established in 1987, L V Prasad Eye Institute (LVPEI), a World Health Organization Collaborating Centre for Prevention of Blindness, is a comprehensive eye health facility. The Institute has ten functional arms to its areas of operations: Clinical Services, Education, Research, Vision Rehabilitation, Rural and Community Eye Health, Eye Banking, Advocacy and Policy Planning, Capacity Building, Innovation and Product Development. The LVPEI Eye Care Network has 270+ Centres spread across the states of Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha and Karnataka in India. The institute's mission is to provide equitable and quality eye care to all sections of society. The LVPEI’s five-tier ‘Eye Health Pyramid’ model covering all sections of society right from the villages to the city, provides high quality and comprehensive - prevention, curative and rehabilitation – eye care to all. It has served over 34.14 million (3 crore 41 lakh people), with more than 50% of them entirely free of cost, irrespective of the complexity of care needed.
About V C Parekh Charitable Trust: The V C Parekh Charitable Trust was established in 1993 by Late Shri Chandralal Manilal Parekh as a tribute to his wife, Late Smt Vasumati Chandrakant Parekh, a renowned philanthropist. The Parekh family's modest background did not deter them from dedicating their lives to giving back to society in every way possible. Shri C M Parekh and his sons, Late Shri Ketan Chandrakant Parekh and Shri Premal Chandrakant Parekh, shared Smt V C Parekh's vision and worked tirelessly to support the needy in the areas of education, healthcare, food, and donations.