Sankara Eye Hospital in collaboration with Sankara Eye Foundation, USA, has inaugurated its new Sankara Super Speciality Eye Hospital in Pedakakani, Guntur, Andhra Pradesh. The facility was inaugurated by the Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, Nara Chandrababu Naidu in the presence of Jagadguru Shri Sankara Vijayendra Saraswathi Swamigal.
This new eye care facility has been set at an investment of around Rs 75 Crore. With 2 lakh+ sq. ft., the facility houses a capacity to serve an additional 1000 patients daily. With this expansion, Sankara Eye Hospital, Guntur, aims to double its annual free eye surgeries from 30,000 to 60,000 for economically weaker sections.
Speaking at the inauguration, Naidu said, “I am pleased to inaugurate the Sankara Eye Hospital new block in Pedakakani, Guntur. This facility will make advanced eye care accessible to people from all sections of society, especially the underprivileged. The Government of Andhra Pradesh appreciates Sankara’s dedicated efforts in preventing avoidable blindness and improving the quality of life for many.”
To ensure long-term sustainability while extending its services to those most in need, the hospital will operate on a cross-subsidization model (75:25), where income from paying patients (25 per cent of beneficiaries) supports free surgeries for 75 per cent of the beneficiaries.
Dr R.V. Ramani, Founder and Managing Trustee, Sankara Eye Foundation, said, “India is home to more than 20 per cent of the world’s blind population, and according to WHO, nearly 80 per cent of visual impairments are preventable or treatable with timely intervention. Sankara Eye Hospital was founded to provide quality eye care to all. Our goal is to reach five lakh free surgeries annually across India by 2030. Like all our hospitals across the country, this new facility will also operate on a sustainable model, offering subsidised services to those in need through the support of paying patients.”
Murali Krishnamurthy, Founder and Executive Chairman of Sankara Eye Foundation, USA, said: “Sankara has set up a large eye hospital in Pedakakani, Guntur at a time when eye care costs are high. The hospital’s approach will enable more people in Guntur and surrounding districts and villages from AP and other neighboring, states to avail high quality care. We will continue to extend all necessary assistance to realise Sankara’s vision of reaching out to the most deserving people in need of eye care.”