HelpMeSee and HMS Vision Private Limited, in partnership with Sri Sankaradeva Nethralaya (SSDN) in Guwahati, have completed a 4.5-month simulation-based cataract surgical training programme that trained 51 ophthalmologists — well above the original target of 30. The programme focused on Manual Small Incision Cataract Surgery (MSICS).
Surgeons From Four Northeastern States
Of the 51 ophthalmologists trained, 26 were from SSDN while 25 came from other institutions across Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur and Tripura. The 25 external participants were drawn from eye care institutions across these four states, giving the initiative a genuinely regional character and spreading the benefits of the training well beyond Guwahati. Such efforts complement the ongoing expansion of healthcare infrastructure in the region and the work of medical institutions building advanced treatment capacity in the Northeast.
Simulation Technology From 2,700 km Away
A striking feature of the programme was the use of two HelpMeSee Eye Surgery Simulators, which were transported from Mumbai — roughly 2,700 km away — to Guwahati. Simulation-based training allows surgeons to practise delicate procedures repeatedly in a risk-free environment before operating on patients.
Scaling Up Eye Care Capacity
“This operation demonstrates what can happen when we bring training closer to ophthalmologists rather than asking them to travel thousands of kilometers to access it,” said Dr. Akshay Nair, Senior Consultant – Market Development Advisor at HMS Vision. By training 51 surgeons against a goal of 30, the partners have significantly expanded the pool of doctors equipped to deliver cataract surgery across the region, exceeding the original target by a wide margin. The programme’s scale points to growing confidence in simulation as a way to build surgical capacity quickly and safely.
The completion of the programme marks a step towards reducing the backlog of cataract cases in the Northeast and bringing quality eye care closer to patients who might otherwise have to travel long distances for treatment.
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