Dr. Sanduk Ruit, a renowned ophthalmologist, and Tej Kohli, with his philanthropist expertise, have come together for the greater good of the people in combating extreme poverty and achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goal, by curbing preventable blindness across the developing world.
Tej Kohli and Ruit Foundation is a blend of the medical expertise of Dr. Ruit, also known as the God of Sight, and the extensive experience of Tej Kholi, the British entrepreneur, in funding visionary projects worldwide. Their combined efforts aim to create a legacy of social and economic change by uplifting a large section of the community.Â
Objective of the Foundation
Tej Kohli and Ruit Foundation, founded in 2021, is working effortlessly towards its global aim of curing preventable blindness, which is a leading cause of extreme poverty among the people. With 100% of operating costs being funded by Tej Kohli and the Kohli family, the organization continues to work without any hindrance and has so far achieved around 48, 532 surgeries.Â
With an objective of screening around a million people worldwide and curing 3,00,000 to 5,00,000 cataract patients by 2030, the Tej Kohli and Ruit Foundation is committed to bringing change by encouraging people to their fullest potential and bringing them to the same table as everyone. This hope has been ignited with the motive of addressing the bigger challenges among humanity, like restoring the sight of the people and improving the quality of their lives.Â
Curing Preventable Blindness and Curbing Poverty
Eradicating poverty is a Sustainable Development Goal of the UN, and is directly linked with blindness as a disease. People with visual impairments are on an economically disadvantaged side, as they are discriminated against socially and not treated the same as others.
Among the blinds too, women, in particular, are treated as second-class citizens as they are not considered as the priority for being treated surgically. Thus, treating blindness not only gives light to the eyes of the people but also brings light to their lives by bringing social and economic equality and pushing them out of extreme poverty.
Cataracts: A Leading Cause of Blindness
Cataracts are curable and thus, not treating it for the long term can cause preventable blindness, which is very common among a very large population worldwide. Tej Kohli and Ruit Foundation is targeting people with cataracts in developing countries and their remote areas, to bring them at par with the rest of the world and make them self-sufficient. It conducts screening camps, organizes counseling sessions, and sets up outreach camps for the people in remote areas, and for their ease of treatment.Â
A cataract surgery takes on an average of 7 minutes and is worth 50 USD. It has the potential to change the lives of those suffering, for the greater good. Curable blindness when cured can put an end to the needless suffering of the people.Â
Achieved MilestonesÂ
Tej Kohli and Ruit Foundation is conducting this grassroots project of curing preventable blindness across the world, starting with the developing nations, and their remote areas. Worldwide, 90% of cataract cases are prevalent in developing countries, and people in these countries do not have the access and affordability to treat the problem.
Tej Kohli and Ruit Foundation has successfully conducted 48,532 surgeries so far. The foundation has specifically focused on the remote areas and its marginalized communities and treated them as the priority in receiving the treatment.Â
People who need immediate medical attention have been identified by the important process of screening, conducted through the screening camps organized by the organization. So far, around 270,158 people have been screened, and the ones with serious issues have been offered surgical help by the team of experts collaborating with the foundation.
Outreach camps have also played a major role in this process, as it can be a hurdle in remote areas for people to travel long for the treatments, as it discourages them from surgeries. Thus, offering them help close to their area of living has been of much help.
The foundation has set up 108 outreach camps and microsurgical camps among the local community in Nepal, Bhutan, and Ghana, with the help of local health partners. Tej Kohli and Ruit Foundation continues to organize such camps with the help and expertise of Dr. Ruit, the co-founder.Â
Around 15 renowned hospitals have partnered with the organization to extend their support. Throughout Nepal, many hospitals have started collaborating with the Tej Kohli and Ruit Foundation to offer the NGO’s team of ophthalmologists with their assistants and treat the blindness of the people.
Way ForwardÂ
Tej Kohli and Ruit Foundation continues to strive its efforts and make a mark on the world by extending a never-ending support to the needy, inspiring others to do the same. Treatment of preventable blindness can break the shackles of poverty and uplift people by bringing social and economic parity throughout. With the eradication of poverty, the foundation will successfully establish an equitable world for all, in the coming years.Â
References:Â
https://tejkohliruit.com/our-achievements/
https://tejkohliruit.com/blindness-facts/
https://tejkohliruit.com/blogs/illuminating-lives-conquering-blindness/
