AFTER EIGHTEEN years of neglect, the BS Mehta Eye Hospital—once a pride of South Eastern UP—will get a fresh lease of life. One of the most prominent branches of Sitapur Eye Hospital, many great national leaders and Union Ministers were associated with BS Mehta Charitable Eye Hospital in mid-50s and early-70s. But in the past 18 years, not a single board meeting of District Eye Relief Society (which governs the hospital) took place due to which the funds depleted and hospital's functioning became badly affected. However, now the Commissioner Allahabad Division RN Tripathi, president of the hospital's executive committee, has decided to restore the past glory of the 200-bed hospital.
The hospital was founded by Padam Bhushan Dr MP Mehray (also founder of the Sitapur Eye Hospital), who deputed Dr JC Bass to look after a very small hospital in a old building abandoned by the infectious diseases hospital, in Khuldabad.
The main function of the unit was to investigate and treat OPD patients suffering from epidemic 'Dropsy Glaucoma', main cause of blindness in Allahabad in those days. Later, the Mahant of Niranjani Akhara donated about seven beds and some bricks to construct a wall around a tin shed to provide shelter to indoor patients.
In 1956, a new building was purchased for Rs 80,000 with three acres of land on Clive Road, in the heart of Civil Lines. The major fund was provided by GL Mehta, a prominent businessman from Kolkata, who was moved to see pitiable condition of the old hospital building. Raj Kumari Amrit Kaur, the then Union Health Minister, laid the foundation stone of a new 54-bed General Ward, in 1957. The then Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri inaugurated a new operation theatre at the hospital in 1964. Money for this was collected through public donation.
In 1965, CB Gupta, former chief minister of UP, gave a grant of Rs 30,000 for the construction of the 10-bed Police and Armed Forces Ward. The funds were also provided by the then Mayor of Allahabad, Shyam Nath Kakkar, for the construction of 16-bed ward, which was equipped by Oxfam Society, London. A philanthropist, ML Ahuja also donated a huge amount to construct 40-bed ward, which was inaugurated by Indira Gandhi, the then Prime Minister of India in 1973.
{{/usCountry}}In 1965, CB Gupta, former chief minister of UP, gave a grant of Rs 30,000 for the construction of the 10-bed Police and Armed Forces Ward. The funds were also provided by the then Mayor of Allahabad, Shyam Nath Kakkar, for the construction of 16-bed ward, which was equipped by Oxfam Society, London. A philanthropist, ML Ahuja also donated a huge amount to construct 40-bed ward, which was inaugurated by Indira Gandhi, the then Prime Minister of India in 1973.
{{/usCountry}}However, during the past two decades, the donations suddenly dropped due to which hospital faced acute financial crisis in managing the services. The funds and grants also reportedly became nil and the tenders of important materials and medicines almost stopped. From 1995 to 2000, the hospital received less than Rs two lakh from UP Government's recurring and non-recurring grants.
Right now, the hospital is running by dedicated staff, with whatever little amount given by the patients as fees or donation. The OPD charges are just Rs 20 and the patients are still provided medicines on concessional basis. The cataracts and best quality IOL surgeries are still performed at the hospital.
To discuss these issues and prepare a revival plan, Commissioner Allahabad Division RN Tripathi convened a board meeting at the hospital on November 14.
But as all the members were not present, the meeting has been postponed to November 23. Tripathi also took round of the hospital and was pleased to see over 100 patients at the OPD.
BS Mehta Eye Hospital Superintendent Dr Ramesh Chandra said they were determined to run the hospital on charitable basis and provide the best eye care service to the poor patients. "We are hopeful that under the initiatives of the Commissioner, the hospital services will be expanded and its financial condition will also improve," he said.