Chitrakoot Recce Trip: December 2021
Post covid 19 plans
The COVID-19 pandemic has provided Project i2Eye, the opportunity to pause and think about what it truly means to make a difference. It has allowed us to perceive medicine differently, specifically the ethics behind medicine, where it has become evident that the cookie-cutter approach of screenings without appropriate education or follow-up efforts serves little justice and benefit to the community in which we aim to instill a positive impact— sustainably. After travel restrictions were lifted, we resumed physical trips in December 2022. We re-evaluated the villagers on their knowledge from our educational campaign, supplemented by ramping up our health screenings, follow-ups and referral systems to ensure the holistic development of Project i2Eye. A “new normal”— COVID-19 will also be a permanent focus in all our efforts in the community, pioneering the way for our future ahead!
Chitrakoot Trip: December 2019
Introduction and thanks
During the December ‘19 trip, Project i2Eye organised general health screenings and health education camps focusing on preventative health. Over 2 days of screening, we screened 97 villagers . We were able to achieve such success only with the generous support of our main partner Sadguru Netra Chikitsalaya (SNC). We cannot thank SNC enough for their support and devotion towards the mission of Project i2Eye.
The success of our recent screening is also attributed to the dedication and efforts of 40 local volunteers from tertiary institutions in Chitrakoot. We would like to thank the student volunteers from Saguru Institute of Nursing, who are in the midst of completing their education to become nurses and opthalmic assistants.
We would like to thank our sponsors for this trip: VIMTA Labs, NUS YLLSoM GoHELP Fund, and NUS Community Engagement Fund.
Special thanks to Mr Ankit Garaj, who has genorously contributed a cash donation in order to see this project to fruition. Needless to say, this project would have been impossible without your kind help.
We would also like to thank our partners: Sadguru Netra Chikitsalaya (SNC), Shri Sadguru Seva Sangh Trust and VIRAJ Healthcare Foundation. We look forward to strengthening our collaboration with you. Thank you for your unwavering support.
Valuable thanks to Dr Rupesh Agrawal — our project mentor — and Dr Alok Sen — medical superintendent of SNC. Your compassion, commitment and care for the less fortunate have inspired us throughout the journey, and your lessons imparted will follow us for life.
facts and figures
During this December 2019 trip, we conducted some preliminary field work in the village. Together with SNC staff and student volunteers, we went door-to-door and talked to villagers. The findings from our fieldwork will guide us in our planning for the screening and education event to target more specific health issues like anemia and tobacco consumption.
what’s next for project i2eye?
Our next trip to Chitrakoot will be in December 2020.
Based on our current understanding of the villagers’ knowledge, attitudes, and perspectives regarding their health, we will be placing greater emphasis on our education programmes. We plan to integrate this with health screenings, bringing healthcare resources closer to the villagers.
However, given the current COVID-19 situation, we are monitoring the conditions closely and developing ways to deliver health education remotely. That being said, your support during this time of uncertainty would be invaluable to the villagers of Chitrakoot.
