13th January 2025: Sightsavers India is proud to announce the monumental achievement of its flagship RAAHI National Trucker’s Eye Health Programme which has successfully conducted 1 million eye screenings. Since its inception, RAAHI has transformed the lives of India’s truck and commercial driving community, significantly enhancing their eye health and road safety. This milestone underscores Sightsavers India’s commitment to ensuring that no one is blind from avoidable causes.
RN Mohanty, CEO of Sightsavers India shared, “The achievement of 1 million eye screenings through the RAAHI Programme marks a significant milestone in our relentless pursuit of better vision and safer roads. This success results from years of hard work, collaboration, and commitment. We set out with a clear vision: to contribute towards eliminating avoidable blindness and enhancing road safety for India’s truckers, and today, we’re seeing the powerful impact of that vision come to life. This milestone is just the beginning. With continued innovation and partnerships, we remain focused on expanding our reach and creating lasting change for India’s driving community.”
The Journey of 1 Million
Launched a few years ago, the RAAHI Programme began with a vision to eliminate avoidable blindness and promote road safety. Early evaluations revealed a prevalence of refractive errors among truck drivers, 48% of those screened had vision problems leading to compromised road safety. Recognizing the urgency, Sightsavers India launched this initiative. Today, RAAHI operates across 49 locations, including 26 static vision centers, 2 mobile vision centers, and 21 exclusive outreach camps, strategically located along India’s major highways- the Golden Quadrilateral and the North-South-East-West Corridor. This expansive network ensures comprehensive coverage for the trucking and commercial driver community. We have also dispensed 4 lakh spectacles.
Innovations That Make an Impact
RAAHI is not just about numbers, it’s about innovative solutions that address real-world challenges, we have-
Ready-to-Clip (R2C) Glasses- Introduced in 2021, these glasses allow truckers to receive custom spectacles on the spot, with over 93% of glasses now dispensed immediately. This eliminates the need for follow-up visits, a key convenience for truck drivers constantly on the move.
The RAAHI App- Equipped with GIS tracking and real-time data management, the app streamlines the registration and spectacle distribution process, ensuring precision and accessibility for truckers at any RAAHI center nationwide.
Connectivity- To make eye care services more accessible for truck drivers constantly on the move, the RAAHI Programme ensures truckers can collect their glasses conveniently, whether from the same camp, a nearby center, or any other RAAHI center along their route.
Financial Literacy Initiative- Sightsavers India’s financial literacy training empowers truckers with essential financial planning, savings, and expense management skills. It helps them avoid debt traps, protect against financial fraud, and plan for emergencies, retirement, and family needs. Given their mobile lifestyle, the training uses a walk-through approach with posters during eye health check-ups to engage truckers, while a two-hour classroom session offers in-depth learning. This initiative ensures truckers can safeguard their hard-earned money, make informed decisions, and achieve financial independence.
“Through the Sightsavers India’s RAAHI Programme, I experienced invaluable support. During a trip to Durg, upon my return, I came across a mobile eye health unit tailored specifically for the eye screening of drivers. Availing myself of this opportunity, I had my eyes checked, and the reassurance that my eyes were in good condition was a tremendous relief”. – Kajal Khare, Chhattisgarh’s First Woman Truck Driver
Moving Towards Safer Roads and SDGs
RAAHI aligns with Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 3 of “Good Health and Well-Being” and the WHO’s mandate on health and road safety. By addressing the link between poor vision and road accidents, the program directly contributes to reducing fatalities, improving road safety for all and a more efficient logistics sector.
The Road Ahead
As Sightsavers India celebrates this achievement, we remain committed to scaling the program further. Plans include expanding geographical coverage, increasing partnerships, and continuing to innovate for greater impact.