ASG Eye Hospital, one of India’s largest eye-care super speciality chains with a network of over 165 hospitals in 83 cities, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the State Health Society, Bihar (SHSB) to establish 200 Vision Centres across 38 districts in Bihar. The project is being undertaken under a public–private partnership (PPP) model and is considered a first-of-its-kind initiative in India for primary eye care delivery.
These Vision Centres will be integrated within the existing public healthcare infrastructure, including Primary Health Centres (PHCs), Community Health Centres (CHCs), Sub-Divisional Hospitals (SDHs), and Referral Hospitals (RHs). They are aimed at improving early detection and care for common but treatable conditions such as cataract, glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy, and refractive errors.
According to ASG Eye Hospital, the Vision Centres will be staffed with trained optometrists and vision technicians. Each facility will follow standardised clinical protocols and be equipped with diagnostic tools such as auto-refractometers, slit lamps, tonometers, retinoscopes, trial lens sets, and telemedicine systems. These technologies will allow remote consultations with ASG’s ophthalmologists, enabling access to specialist input beyond physical locations.
Patients requiring advanced care will be referred to the nearest ASG Eye Hospital for further treatment. The first 50 Vision Centres have already started functioning in Patna, Gaya, Hajipur, Katihar, Muzaffarpur, Darbhanga, Bhagalpur, and Nalanda. The remaining 150 centres are expected to become operational by mid-August.
Dr Arun Singhvi, Managing Director and CEO, ASG Eye Hospital, said, “This project fits perfectly into our ethos because what began as a mission to bring world class eye care to all patients, regardless their awareness, knowledge and financial status has started to come full circle. Not only does this project enable us to reach the vast, under-served, economically disadvantaged class in Bihar, but also creates a path for a replicable public health model that allows us to address the critical, unmet need of timely diagnostic intervention for these beneficiaries. These timely check ups for highly treatable cases of refractive errors, cataract, glaucoma can save sight and lives. All of this will reduce load on tertiary hospitals and will reduce treatment costs for patients since it will be covered under the government run insurance programs like Ayushman Bharat and the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund (CMRF), with over 40 lakh+ patients benefitting from this project in just the next 12 months, through subsidized surgeries, medicines, and prescription spectacles. We believe the impact of this project will truly embody our vision of enhancing vision, touching lives.”
The post ASG Eye Hospital and Bihar Government partner to launch 200 vision centres under PPP model appeared first on Express Healthcare.
