By Our Special Correspondent
National, 11October 2022: India Vision Institute (IVI), the NGO working to provide access to vision testing and spectacles to the underprivileged in remote parts of India, launched a campaign in partnership with Shell India today for the vision screening of commercial drivers in Karnataka. The campaign is a part of Shell’s ‘Drive Safe India’ and aims to benefit 32,000 commercial vehicle drivers in Karnataka.
The campaign aims at conducting eye camps for commercial drivers and allied transport workers to check their eyesight. In poor eyesight, the drivers have dispensed eyeglasses mainly on the spot. For other serious eye conditions, the drivers are referred to undergo the proper treatment required for the eye condition. Vision screenings will focus on cities and towns and national and state highways in the state.
The campaign was officially launched in Bangalore and was graced by Anil Kumar TK, Principal Secretary to Government, Department of Health and Family Welfare, L K Dash, Director, Postal Services, Department of Posts and IVI’s CEO Vinod Daniel, along with representatives from Shell.
Speaking at the launch, IVI’s CEO Vinod Daniel said, “We are pleased to join hands with Shell in the next phase of the Shell Drive Safe India Campaign. Earlier, during October 2021-March 2022, the campaign screened nearly 60,000 commercial vehicle drivers and truckers in Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. IVI’s previous vision screenings among 80,000 drivers revealed that 59 per cent of drivers had uncorrected refractive errors, of which 24 per cent required distance correction, 35 per cent needed near correction, and 2 per cent had severely compromised vision.”
“An IVI survey among drivers showed that the three reasons they did not get their vision checked were lack of awareness, affordability, and access. This program is developed to address all these constraints,” he further added.
Latika Taneja, Head of Corporate Relations, India said, “We work with communities and global partners to improve road safety in the countries where we operate. ‘Drive Safe’ is an important community initiative for us, especially in India, where road fatalities are high. In partnership with India Vision Institute and other NGO partners, Shell India is committed to this unique initiative to bring down the traffic accidents attributed to impaired vision.”
About India Vision Institute
IVI is an Indian not-for-profit NGO with the vision to provide access to primary eye care for the underprivileged and a pair of corrective glasses to every Indian in need of one. Our outreach and advocacy activities also include awareness generation, engaging communities, schools, partner institutions and others through talks, education, skill enhancement, and leadership development. Since 2012, IVI has helped change lives in 22 states of India. Through providing better vision and a pair of free corrective glasses, our Eye See and I Learn and Eye See and I Work programs help, respectively, school children do well in studies and adults in being more productive, ensuring their safe and secure livelihood. Vision and Road Safety is another priority for IVI and involves working with corporates/organizations on screenings and provision of free spectacles for commercial vehicle drivers. Beneficiaries have included women, children, transgender communities, workers, fisherfolk and weavers.
