The hospital was formally opened on 19th August.

Please see the report about the opening on Hindu online

http://www.hinduonnet.com/thehindu/2001/08/20/stories/0420403k.htm

Many thanks to all our friends who supported us.

Isaac Thomas
Hyderabad


THE HINDU DATED 20TH AUGUST 2001


Modern eye hospital inaugurated
By Our Special Correspondent
HYDERABAD, AUG. 19. A modern eye hospital was formally inaugurated on the campus
of the St. Gregorios Balagram on the Nagarjunasagar road at Yacharam, 60 km from
here, on Sunday.
The hospital, set up by the management of the Balagram in technical
collaboration with the L.V. Prasad Eye Institute, Hyderabad, and fully equipped
with imported instruments, is the only one of its kind in the region serving
rural people.
Bishop Gheevarghese Mar Osthathios, president of the Balagram, and Dr. G.N. Rao,
Director of the L.V. Prasad Eye Institute, cut the ribbon jointly to mark the
inauguration of the operation theatre, named after Ms. Margaret Meisseler, a
German woman, whose entire savings were donated for the project.
Addressing a meeting held in this connection, the bishop announced that the
hospital would be accessible to the poorest of the poor for modern eyecare. As
such it would provide service at affordable cost. Dr. Rao of the L.V. Prasad
Institute said that this was the seventh rural service project of the institute
in the State. He called upon people, particularly the rural masses who were
present at the inaugural function, to avail themselves of the facility available
at their doorsteps now. The collaboration with this hospital was part of the
institute's strategy to fight blindness and various eye ailments, he said.
Dr. P.I. Mohan,project adviser and well-known eye surgeon, and Dr.K. P. David,
delegate, Operation Eyesight Universal, Canada, who have been associated with
the hospital right from its planning stage, Dr. Lalit Dandona of the L.V. Prasad
Institute, and various church dignitaries were among those who spoke at the
function. Mr. Venkateswarlu, mandal president, Mr. Anand Rao, ex- MLA, Mr.
Narayan Goud, and Mr. Lachha Reddy were among those who attended the function.

FROM THE DESK OF MODERATORS:
Let us congratulate the selfless team worked behind this great job under the
leadership of Bishop Mar Gheevarghese Mar Osthathios, president of the Balagram.
We request all IOIF members along with their family to pray for Balgram in our
evening prayer of 23rd August 2001.