RC Pune Sportscity focuses on medical services
Cataract and squint surgeries, and sponsoring sophisticated medical equipment have been this year’s predominant service projects of RC Pune Sportscity, RID 3131.
The club organised an eye check-up camp at Rahimatpur near Satara, Maharashtra, with the help of club member and ophthalmologist Dr Rajesh Pawar and an ophthalmic team from Sane Guruji Arogya Kendra, Hadapsar, Pune. Of the 500 people registered for the camp, 60 people were identified for cataract surgery which was performed in three batches. RC Pune Wisdom brought in Vulkan Technologies who funded the surgeries, each costing ₹6,000, as part of their CSR initiative.
Eleven children were diagnosed with a squint eye disorder and the host club has scheduled the corrective surgery in May “when the children will have their summer holidays,” said club member Sandesh Savant. The Mahesh Sahakari Bank in Pune will sponsor the surgeries to be performed at the Tarachand Hospital in the city. Reading glasses were distributed to the elderly at the camp.
“Our club has decided to make this our signature project to conduct camps every year to detect and treat cataract and squint disorders, especially among the rural population around Pune. Our members will pool in funds for the surgery,” he said.
The club members interacted with the Panchakroshi Shikshan Mandal, a school in Rahimatpur which was the camp venue, to understand its requirements for the students. It will also provide sports equipment and smart TVs for setting up digital classrooms at the school. “Soon we will be organising a RYLA for the students,” said Savant.
Robotic gloves
The club sponsored a pair of robotic gloves, and electrical and ultrasound therapy machines to the Sancheti Institute of Orthopaedic and Rehabilitation Centre in the city. The gloves will help treat patients with paralysis of the hand, and people suffering from finger and hand spasms by stimulating the nerves and muscles. The ultrasound and electrotherapy devices will provide extensive pain relief and muscle stimulation for patient recovery. “These devices were provided by a donor who wishes to remain anonymous,” he added.
Research support
The club recently helped in funding research equipment and reagents worth ₹18 lakh through an IT company for the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER), Pune. The machines will help in replication and transcription of the SARS-CoV-2 genome, explained Savant. The researchers in IISER will study how the virus proliferates, find ways to arrest its growth and develop tests to diagnose it. “This prestigious project is led by scientist Dr Saikrishnan Kayarat from IISER, which is probably one of the world’s ten such research laboratories.”
The equipment includes special chromatographic columns for protein purification, crystal/protein freezing and shipping equipment and pipette set for extremely low volume measurements. “We expect the project to take off from June as these machines are all being imported from Italy. The studies will help our country lead the way in the worldwide war against Covid and similar pandemic viruses,” he said.
