Mahakumbhnagar, December 8 (IANS). Crores of people are going to gather to take a dip of faith in the world’s largest religious event Mahakumbh, starting from 13 January 2025, on the holy banks of Sangam in Tirtharaj Prayagraj. Along with the convenience and safety of these devotees, special attention is also being paid to their health by the Yogi government.
In the same sequence, ‘Netra Kumbh’ is also being established for the health of the eyes of the devotees coming during Maha Kumbh. In this ‘Netra Kumbh’ being built on 9 acres, it is being claimed that for the first time, eye examination of more than 5 lakh people and distribution of 3 lakh spectacles is being done simultaneously.
The most important thing in this is that the eye patients who need operation after getting tested here will be provided the facility of free operation in the eye hospital located near their home. For this, ‘Netra Kumbh’ has signed agreements with more than 150 hospitals across the country. Patients will get their eyes checked by coming to Mahakumbh and the operation will be done at their home.
Chairman of the organizing committee of ‘Netra Kumbh’, Kavindra Pratap Singh, said that for the first time in this Maha Kumbh, an arrangement is being made that whichever patient the doctors refer for operation, he can go to the hospital located in his district or near his home, whenever he wants. Can get operation done. After examination, doctors will give a referral card to such patients, one copy of which will go to the concerned hospital and the other copy will go to the worker of ‘Saksham’, the organizing organization of ‘Netra Kumbh’.
After this, competent workers or patients will be able to co-ordinate and avail the free operation facility as per their convenience at their place of residence. He said that 150 small and big hospitals across the country have been empaneled for the operations of patients. The concerned patients will be able to avail this facility during the fair or even after the fair. It is estimated that operation cards can be provided to 50 thousand people through ‘Netra Kumbh’.
He said that Mahakumbh is a symbol of social harmony. Crores of devotees are coming here from all over the country. Keeping in view their convenience, this Eye Chikitsa Mahayagya is being organized as ‘Netra Kumbh’. Indian Army doctors will also provide their services free of cost in this ‘Netra Kumbh’. Along with free inspection, there will also be provision of free medicines and free refreshments to the patients coming here.
He said that ‘Netra Kumbh’ was organized for the first time in 2019. Since that time its scale has more than doubled. During the 2019 Kumbh, we made it to the ‘Limca Book of World Records’ by providing spectacles to 1.5 lakh people and screening 3 lakh people. This time this ‘Netra Kumbh’ is going to break the previous record also. In terms of numbers, this will be the biggest record of examination of eye patients and distribution of spectacles in any event not only in India but also in the world. Along with our partner organizations, the fair administration is also contributing to this event.
Media Co-ordinator of Netra Kumbh, Dr. Kirtika Aggarwal told that this ‘Netra Kumbh’ is going to be organized in the fair area in front of Nagavasuki Temple located in Sector-6. Its aim is to help the large number of people losing their eyesight due to lack of awareness.
‘Netra Kumbh’ will start from January 12 in the fair area, which will continue every day (except the major Snan festival) till February 26. People suffering from eye related problems can come here and the entire arrangement here will be free of cost.
About 150 doctors will come from outside and provide their services, while about 400 doctors will be present for 45 days. Of these, 40 doctors will be part of OPD every day. There will be more than 500 optometrists, out of which 100 will provide services daily.
Overall, 200 doctors, optometrists and other volunteers will be present to serve eye patients every day. Eye OPD will run from 8 am to 2 pm, which can be extended till 4 pm.
–IANS
SK/ABM
