Patient Story

Cataract Case Study- School Eye Health Programme

Idris Khan aged 9 of Nischintakoili Block and Arjun Pradhan aged 10 of Banki Block, were suffering from Bilateral Congenital Cataract. This particular eye disease is a rare form of Cataract wherein the patients get the disease right from birth. Though they are in Std.4 & 5 respectively but are not able to do the day to day activities like normal children. Their parents are staying below poverty lines hence could not afford the surgery and had left them to their fate.

Luckily these two children were detected by the VIDYAJYOTI team with the help of R.T.E, SSA, Cuttack during School Screening camps.

These patients were then taken for the preliminary tests to the JPM Rotary Eye Hospital and Research Institute where we have the first of its kind pediatric Eye Care Centre. Pediatric Child Eye Specialist Dr. Biswajit Dey then successfully operated on Idris Khan & Arjun Pradhan. The cataract operations of both the eyes of these two children were done on two separate dates for safety reasons. Now they can see the world again, play again, study again and do all the day to day work as a normal child.

Interveners: JPM Rotary Eye hospital & Research Institute, Cuttack

Supported by: Sightsavers International

Ranjan Patra

Introduction: Ranjan was an unfortunate boy of this rural village aged around 11 years. Being a boy child he was expected either to have a bright future by having proper education and a service or to augment the family income by entering into the traditional profession of the family i.e weaving by manual weaving machine (called ‘Arata’- the weaving machine which was used and promoted by the father of the nation, Mahatma Gandhi)

Identification: One of our IE Teachers, after being briefed about the family tried to meet the family members of Ranjan on 8th November 2001. Ranjan’s family was in a typical rural village named Jemadeipur having mud roads and dirty surroundings. Like others of the same village Ranjan’s house was also made of mud – walls and thatched roof. The family members were reluctant to meet our IE teacher being a stranger apprehending that, he might be either an occult practitioner or a police officer in disguise. However, some of the young village boys helped our IE teacher to interact with the family. After having an informal discussion with Ranjan’s father our IE teacher asked regarding Ranjan. The reply and the fact were not only astonishing but also shocking. Ranjan’s father pointed out his finger towards his own lay and a point beneath the manual weaving machine where there was a gutter dug and literally only one figure was seen there. Ranjan was laying in that gutter. Ranjan’s father narrated that he had been undergoing immense mental pressure since the family income was not good at all and he had seven children. Ranjan was the fourth child in the family.

Socioeconomic status : Being Weavers (called ‘Tanti’) they were poor in their economy and since they were facing severe competition from the market for the present developments in weaving science and globalization it was difficult for the family to fetch their bread even for a full day. The weaving work was the source of income for the family which was hardly meeting the need. Being poor they were not socializing with others and were not able to participate in different social, cultural and religious functions of the society.

Educational background: Education wise none of the family members were educated. Ranjan’s father and mother were some how able to make signatures and count currencies. Due to poor financial condition, the children in the family were not going to school and were engaged in augmenting the family income. During the discussion it was revealed that, the aim of the family was to survive only and for that struggle, education could not be considered as a primary need.

Health Condition: All the family members in the family looked sick and were in poor health condition. As such the hygienic condition of the family was not at all up to the living conditions. Since Ranjan was a disabled child (visually impaired) we thought atleast he should have been show to a doctor for his treatment. But unfortunately, Ranjan was never taken to any ophthalmologist / doctor for treatment.

Intervention: Our IE Teacher tried to pull Ranjan from the gutter hole. He was totally afraid and was hardly able to stand on his legs. He was trembling too. Since his legs were not straight, our IE teacher tried to straighten him by pulling his legs straight. Ranjan was screaming loudly. His family members were terrified and thought him to be an Occult practitioner and driven our team out.

Counseling: Understanding the situation, our team members tried to create confidence amongst the family members and instill faith in them that, Ranjan could survive in a human way if treated and educated. After lot of discussion somehow the family members got convinced. Ranjan was made to exercise daily for his legs. The photograph was taken and all possible efforts were made to register him as a visually impaired child. Our IE teacher met the government officials and finally got Ranjan registered as a visually challenged child.

Benefits and sensitization: After obtaining blind certificate for Ranjan, our team met the Block development Officer (BDO) and took lot of pain to register Ranjan to get disabled pension / grant from the Government. By that time the family members of Ranjan had full confidence on us and cooperated to treat Ranjan. Ranjan was brought to our base hospital for medical examination and later he also was assisted by our IE teacher to get education on communication, oriented on mobility. It took lot of time to get Ranjan – a totally immobile child to walk and learn things who had been in a gutter for almost 11 years perhaps waiting the end of his life there.

Family and Society support: Our IE teacher and the team were able to convince the Cooperative Society of the local weavers’ for a loan for Ranjan and finally they helped to get the same. Ranjan was taught to weave and a new manual weaving machine along with other requisites was purchased for him. Ranjan that time smiled wich was unforgettable when he first started his own weaving machine and his feet were on the paddle. The smile of a successful boy; visualizing his future in a bright way.

Preparation: It took almost two years to bring Ranjan to the main stream of life. His family members were too enthusiastic by this time and we encouraged them to provide formal education to Ranjan. The school authorities denied addimission of Ranjan. Again we rushed to the DPI of schools and got appropriate orders for Ranjan’s admission. It was a difficult task on our part to educate the school children and teachers as well to cooperate Ranjan. However, training was provided to school teachers to facilitate special methods to meet Ranjan’s needs while educating him along with other normal children of his class. Our IE teachers were in regular contact with Ranjan’s family, his society and the school as well and took lot of pain to educate his class mates to mix with Ranjan. Integrated education through PTA / MTA and VEC were provided and those helped Ranjan to join the main stream in the school.

Conclusion: Today, Ranjan is a smiling boy, not in the gutter made by his family members but in the school, in the play grounds and with his own weaving machine. This could happen because of the interventions of the IE teachers and the persons and Institutions who are supporting the cause. There are many such Ranjans waiting their last days in these conditions. We need to reach them and save them to make them smile and smile with them.

Tikam Rana

Introduction: Tikam was an unfortunate boy of this rural village aged around 11 years. Being a boy child he was expected either to have a bright future by having proper education and a service or to augment the family income by entering into the traditional profession of the family priest and mother is house wife. Tikam Rana’s father has been undergoing an immense mental pressure since the family income is too much precarious to maintain such a family having 3 children. Tikam Rana is the 2nd child in the family. Tikam Rana’s house is also made of mud-walls and thatched roof. His father a priest in temple

Identification: JPM Rotary Club of Cuttack Eye Hospital & Research Institute conducted a survey on 1st June 2003 at Gudapada and added him in our Project.

Socioeconomic Status: The Socioeconomic Status was not good on account of low income as his father was an old man and working in a temple

Educational Background: There was no educated person in Tikam Rana’s family but his father was able only to make a signature. His father was working on daily wage basis. So parents were earning a meagre amount for which they were unable to send their children to a school. Even their income couldn’t provide them daily-full meals two times a day properly.

Health Condition: All the family members of his family were looking sick and of poor health condition. Since Tikam Rana was a disabled child, we thought at least we have to take him to a doctor for his proper treatment.

Intervention: As Tikam Rana was unable to see, his parents were mentally depressed. So we advised them to allow the child for proper education and physical development and without education, he can’t develop in his life.

Counselling: After intervention we counsel the family member’s and community members about the development of Tikam Rana and how Tikam Rana can develop mentally, physically and socially. We tried to create confidence on proper educational development.

Benefits and Sensitization: After counselling we requested the Block Development Officer Athagada and local Sarapanch to register Tikam Rana to get a disable pension grant from the Government. We also requested B.D.O. to advance any business loan to his father. By that time the confidence of Tikam Rana’s family increased and became co-operative with us.

Family and Society Support: Our IE Teacher was able to convince the family members and his society members about development of Tikam Rana. They also became co-operative with us after that.

Preparation: First we admitted him at Gudupada primary school. The school headmaster and teaching staff profoundly appreciated our effort. Then we counseled with them how to develop his education and how to prepare his for visual challenge. In school and his home our IE facilitator practiced Braille reading and writing, develop rehabilitation check list, and learned by providing class wise and IEDP wise T.L.M. Now he is fully expert in Braille reading and writing

Achievement: After the intervention of JPM he developed much better in his life. Due to support of IE teacher and JPM Rotary Eye Hospital he has done better in H.S.C exam this year. Despite of major obstacle by government he got higher second division. When he appeared H.S.C exam, the headmaster did not permit for writer against the Tikam But our IE teacher Paresh Kumar Sahoo, Meghanad Rout, and Mamata Panda made advocacy with Board of secondary education for writer and success

Conclusion: Today Tikam Rana is a smiling boy. Now he is very happy keeping relation with sighted children. He is very much sincere in his education. He is much interested to study vocational education. We also discussed some agencies for his future study. He is much interested to participate in these co-curricular activities with normal children. May God bless his for a bright and meaningful future.