Indian Embassy and B.P. Koirala India-Nepal Foundation organized 19th edition of Voices at Nepal-Bharat Library, Nepal Airlins Building in New Road.

Senior ophthalmologist of Nepal and globally recognized eye surgeon, recipient of the prestigious Magsaysay Award (2006), Dr. Sanduk Ruit presented a talk in this edition of Voices.

Dr Sanduk Ruit shared how he and his team rigorously worked day and night during the early 90s to introduce intraocular lens and cataract operation in Nepal.

He said, “Back then, every day was like a nightmare to me and my team. We were a group of people with positive attitude and advocacy. But for many of our colleagues, medical doctors and policy makers of Nepal, to bring a sophisticated technology from abroad and manufacture intraocular lens locally, was no less than a mad man’s vision.”

Dr. Ruit added, “nobody back then imagined this that Nepal would one day be one of the pioneer countries who have exported approximately four million intraocular lenses to more than 80 countries across the world in not more than a decade.”

He further enunciated how he and his team today take the pride in claiming the first position in South Asia for quality services in terms of cataract surgery.

He elaborated, “the primary formula we used to achieve this ambition was our firm attempt to stay outside the regime. Perhaps no political transitions in the country or the interventions could deter us from our objective. We conduct at least 30 surgeries every year now.”

He shared how it was not easy to convince people in the remote areas of Nepal that a cataract operation can bring them back their vision, but once they believed in it, there has been no looking back since then.

The event concluded with interaction between Dr Ruit and the audience.