Focus on Bihar – Muzaffarpur District

Laxman Eye Hospital is located in Bihar’s second city, Muzaffarpur but its patients come mostly from its catchment area in rural northern Bihar. It has one of the largest teams amongst all our partner hospitals - but not so large that it has lost its community roots. LEH never employ ‘middlemen’ - they don’t need to. The hospital’s outreach workers are well-known and trusted in the villages. This is thanks to hospital ‘boss’ Thakur Dharmendra Pd Singh, pictured below. He has carried out social work in Bihar almost all his life.

Eye surgeon Dr Razi Hassan in the operating theatre. The LEH restores sight to over 20,000 patients each year. Below, multi-skilled ophthalmic assistant Babul -’I have the best job in India.’

The patient Babul says he will never forget. She had been so depressed when she was blind because she felt she was a burden on her family. She had considered ending her life. ‘I felt so sad when I heard that’ said Babul. And here she is with restored sight.