Eye hospital's gesture to pensioners

By Our Staff Reporter

CHENNAI, JUNE 6. As a part of its special package for pensioners, the Sankara Netralaya will provide treatment at concessional rates for pensioners based on their pension amounts, Dr. T. S. Surendran, Medical Director, Sankara Nethralaya, said.

Addressing a gathering at an audio visual presentation for senior citizens and pensioners here on Tuesday, he said that the hospital had upgraded its facility in accordance with the growing demand for quality treatment.

The hospital was now in a position to provide ``walk-in cataract surgery appointments'' for all. The number of patients who could be treated in a day has also been increased. The inclusion of the Willingdon Hospital (now renamed as Jagadguru Kanchi Chandrashekharendra Nethra Nilayam) as a part of Sankara Nethralaya, has added 136 beds increasing the total bed capacity to 228.

Mr. C. Jagadeesan, General Manager, Sankara Nethralaya, said during 1999-2000 a total of 3.33 lakh patients were treated in the hospital of which 49 per cent were treated free. The revenue forgone due to free treatment was about Rs. 6.25 crores in a year and the hospital will further increase the number of free treatments for the needy, he said.

The hospital was looking forward for contributions from the public and tax exemptions were being made for contributions that could be made even in the U.S., he added.

Mr. B. K. Vasudevan, chairman, All Bharath Confederation of pensioners and Senior Citizens, Chennai, and Mr. V. Muthuswami, special executive, Sankara Nethralaya, spoke.

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