Vision-Aid has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE) in May 2025, establishing a dedicated Vision-Aid Resource Centre at the Manipal College of Health Professions (MCHP). This partnership marks a significant step toward improving access to low vision rehabilitation services in coastal Karnataka.
About the Collaboration
MAHE, established in 1961, is a prestigious institution in health sciences education. Its Kasturba Hospital serves as a multidisciplinary teaching hospital with a strong outreach presence in Udupi and Karkala.
This collaboration aims to deliver specialized low vision care at Kasturba Hospital Manipal, Udupi, and Karkala, as well as through primary health centers (PHCs) and district hospitals in surrounding areas.
Vision-Aid Resource Centre at MCHP
The Vision-Aid Resource Centre established at the Manipal College of Health Professions (MCHP), India’s first college dedicated to allied health sciences, is designed to offer comprehensive low vision rehabilitation services. These include low vision screening, visual development therapy, and orientation and mobility training. A key component of the center is the provision of free or subsidized assistive devices such as optical aids, digital magnifiers, and smart vision glasses, generously donated by Vision-Aid. The center not only supports individuals with vision impairments from underserved communities but also serves as a platform for training healthcare students and professionals in the latest practices in vision rehabilitation.
Impact and Beneficiaries
This initiative targets individuals with vision-related disabilities in coastal Karnataka, especially from low-income, rural, and semi-urban communities. It also serves as a valuable learning platform for healthcare students and professionals, helping build capacity in the field of vision rehabilitation. Together, Vision-Aid India and MAHE are working to deliver inclusive, community-driven, and technology-enabled eye care. This partnership reinforces a common commitment to creating a future where every person, regardless of visual ability, has access to opportunity, independence, and dignity.
