Farmers Movement Archive

Medical camp set up at protest site to treat eye issues due to pollution

A team of nine doctors from Punjab’s Garhshankar on Sunday set up a two-day medical camp at the Singhu border to treat protesting farmers suffering from eye-related issues due to the pollution. Volunteers give socks Meanwhile, another group of volunteers were found treating elderly protesters suffering from knee pain by applying ointments and providing them with woollen socks. The doctors included ophthalmologists, physiotherapists and general physicians. They had earlier visited the spot three times. Due to the excessive cold, dust and pollution, many farmers complained of several eye-related issues, said doctors. “We have come with medicines and eye-examination devices. These medicines could give temporary relief to farmers but if the situation remains the same, many of them would need to be hospitalised as weather is extreme cold,” said a volunteer. Twenty-year-old ophthalmologist Rajdeep Singh said: “This is our fourth visit here. Earlier, we had set up general medical camps on weekends.” He said during their third visit to Singhu border, they had realised that there was a need for a separate eye camp at the protest site. “During our last visit, many people came up to us with eye-related problems. While some complained of dry eyes, others said they felt burning sensation or irritations in the eye. So, we realised that no such facility was available and decided to set up an exclusive eye-checkup camp here,” he added while attending to 50-year-old Mehrunisa, who have been complaining of pain and weakness in her eyes for the past few days. She was advised to take anti-allergic eye drops twice a day. Hailing from Delhi’s Wazirabad, Mehrunisa has been camping at the Singhu border for one week now. When asked if she was a farmer, Mehrunisa said: “I am not a farmer but we get our food because of our farmer brothers. If we do not stand with them today, we should be ashamed of ourselves.” A physiotherapist, Amandeep Singh, said: “We are here only to serve the farmers. It is our duty. All medicines are free of cost. Our only intention is to give them our best medical facilities.” There was a group of volunteers, who helped the elderly farmers clip their nails. “My friends and I have come here to help the farmers. I come from a family of farmers and I understand their pain,” said a volunteer, who did not wish to be named. During our last visit, many people came up to us with eye-related problems. So we decided to set up an exclusive eye-checkup camp at the Singhu border Rajdeep Singh Ophthalmologist

The Hindu

2020-12-21

NEW DELHI