The main objective was to expand the Operating Capacity to enable Rotary Club of Purulia Service Centre (Eye Clinic), a premiere ongoing project of Rotary Club of Purulia, to take more patient load, conduct more eye surgeries, thereby increasing the pace of work it is already doing in the field of avoidable blindness. Increasing the operating capacity of Rotary Service Centre would mean more people would be treated and cured of avoidable blindness. Number of surgeries being conducted would increase and at the same time this expansion have created a better eye care delivery system, simultaneously increasing the efficiency of the surgeons. This expansion plan included the addition of the following features to the already existing ones :

• Surgical Microscope – An advanced microscope with added features which  enabled the surgeon to perform surgery with utmost ease taking lesser time.


• Auto Refractometer – A fully automated Refractometer enabled the Optometrist to reduce the refraction time and thereby take more patient load.


• Operating Table – For the newly constructed Operation Theatre. This increased the surgery capacity of the clinic, which is already doing 20 – 25 IOL surgeries per day.


• Hospital Beds – To increase the accommodation capacity. The clinic is now able to take higher patient load. Modern ergonomically designed beds allowed the patient to feel at home in the clinic.


• Streak Retinoscope – This helped the refractionists to perform accurately the refraction of the patients.


• Ophthalmoscope – This helped the doctors to diagnosis the Retinal diseases of the patients to give them accurate treatment.


• 78D Ocular Lens – It is also used to diagnosis the Retinal diseases but it gives binocular vision which helps the doctors to identify the diseases in better way.

These efforts worked to strengthen the prevailing goodwill that Rotary Club of Purulia Service Centre (Eye Clinic) and Rotary Club of Purulia (R.I. Dist 3290) already enjoys with the people.

Project implementation began in the month of April 2007. The accomplishments were as follows :

• The optometrist has taken more loads and performing well enough in less time.


• The advanced microscope with added features has enabled the surgeon to perform surgery with utmost in lesser time.


• Patients are at ease with the modern ergonomically designed beds as well as the clinic has been able to take higher patient load.


• The balance amount was utilized on 7 IOL implantation, as per email dt. 17th January, 2008 by Mr. Roy John of TRF (India).

This project took place in a rural backward district named Purulia in the state of West Bengal in India in an effort to bring back light into the lives of those who have lost all hopes of seeing the daylight and the beautiful colours mother nature has spread all over the world. The beneficiaries are members of poor families who either sustain themselves from seasonal agricultural practice or do small menial tasks at the rural level to make a living. Most of the beneficiaries have very low income and cannot afford to either reach a good eye care centre or do not have enough financial strength to afford the treatment. These people are the real needy people residing in the interior rural pockets.

Since this is the project hosted by Rotary Club of Purulia, RID 3290, it was the primary responsibility of Rotary Club of Purulia to implement the project. In this respect, involvement of club members was mandatory, and the Rotarians it took upon themselves to be part of the project at every level. A Core Working Committee was formed to manage the project and oversee its implementation. Other Rotarians who are not part of the Core Working Committee also suitably provided support to the project. Regular communication (mostly by e-mail) at the local, district level and with the International club partner club helped to take care of every aspect of the project.

Rtn. Chuck Conner from International Partner Rotary Club of Ripley (RID 7530) undertook to visit Purulia on 18th to 23rd March 2007 to see the implementation of the project. Rtn. Conner undertook to visit the eye hospital run by Rotary Club of Purulia. 

• Rtn. Chuck Conner visited the Eye Hospital on 19th March, 2007In-Patient ward and spoke to the patients some of whom had already undergone surgery, while others were waiting their turn to be taken into the Operation theatre.


• Rtn. Conner also visited the ongoing projects of Rotary Club of Purulia like, the Sulabh Souchalaya and the Bus Passengers Resting Shed.


• On 20th March, 2007 Rtn. Conner visited the Eye Hospital to see operation in the OT. He also visited the Lalpur Eye Hospital, 29 kms. away from Purulia town, where another Eye Clinic was going to be established.


• Rtn. Chuck Conner attended the regular weekly meeting of our club on 22nd March, 2007 and gave a motivation talk inspiring all to come forward and serve the community, especially in the field of eye care. In a formal function Rtn. Chuck Conner handed over the equipments to the Chairman and the Doctors of Rotary Club of Purulia Service Centre (Eye Clinic).

Over a long period of time, this project will benefit the community in several ways: -

• Increased awareness among the masses about eye care and its importance.


• An understanding that blindness due to cataract is curable and sight can be restored after a surgical procedure and IOL implantation.


• Increased healthy & hygienic practices in the rural areas, which is still deep-rooted in illiteracy.


• A stronger association of Rotary with the community and a better understanding of their needs, leading to conceiving of new project for community development.