Context
India is a country experiencing strong population growth. Its rapid economic development has also meant inequality has quickly increased, particularly in rural areas in the north and south of the country. The rural Uttar Pradesh region in the north has limited eye care services. For example, little cataract surgery takes place and there is almost no access to prescription glasses or treatment for other diseases like glaucoma. Blindness and visual impairment only exacerbate poverty in this region where 30% of the population already live under the poverty line.
Supported project
In 2017, the L'OCCITANE Foundation and L'OCCITANE India are supporting the CBM two-years project in India. It aims to open four sight centres to reinforce eye care services in the north and north-east of India and provide specialist eye services that are affordable for under-served rural populations. The overall aim is to strengthen eye care services in northern and northeastern India to provide affordable and equitable eye care to underserved populations.
The centres will raise awareness about eye disease in the communities affected. They will also distribute glasses and offer cataract surgery and screening. What's more, this project will train health personnel such as optometrists and community health workers in screening, detecting disease and different treatments.
Some figures
Budget 80.000 euros
Goal 65.000 beneficiaries
History
Project supported since 2017
This project is part of a five-year initiative to make the four vision centres autonomous. The L'OCCITANE Foundation and L'OCCITANE India have committed to support the project over the first 2 years of implementation.
