This project is no longer ongoing
Kush Patel – India
The project organised patient-centric diabetes educational awareness activities focusing on eye care, as well as regular follow-ups. Along with educational sessions, the camps ensured free blood sugar testing and taught the right way to identify the early symptoms of diabetes.
The project also proposed other healthcare activities and encourage lifestyle modifications to prevent blindness linked to diabetes.
Kush worked collaboratively with his member association (Diabetic Association of India), ophthalmology doctors, diabetologists and approach the government to try and gain a subsidy for expenditure related to the cost of eye and retinal treatments.
Between June and September 2018, Dr. Kush Patel organised several eye screening and management camps. He estimated the number of people screened through his recent activities at more than 2000; and the number of people that received educational insight from his project on the nature, the cause and the progression of diabetic retinopathy at more than 3000.
Educational and screening activities organised as part of the project
In 2019, Kush wished to work on getting a van in order to make the screening process easier and to reach more people by being able to move throughout the region. It is a work in progress, which requires equipment, human capital and funding.