Eye Health Hero: Sanket Parajuli

Dr. Sanket Parajuli joined our hospital at the beginning of the year 2020 right after graduating from Kathmandu University with distinction in Ophthalmology, highest among the class of 2016. He is a dynamic clinician who performs his job at an exemplary level and demonstrates an extraordinary commitment to giving quality care to his patients.

Since his Ophthalmology residency, he has been an enthusiast of rural eye health programs. He was the solo Ophthalmologist in a 5 days camp in Malkot (a remote far western village in Kalikot, Karnali region). More than 600 patients benefitted from the camp. Bolde, Dhunkharga, Baunepati, Khadichaur are other remote areas where he volunteered to participate in eye camps.

In Reiyukai Eiko Masunaga eye hospital, which provides service to the rural community of the Kavrepalanchowk region, he has been actively involved in the management of OPD patients, laser procedures, and eye surgeries (cataract surgery, lid surgery, intravitreal injections). He has never turned away from his duties even during the peak of the coronavirus pandemic. Despite being tested positive with mild to moderate symptoms of covid-19, he provided free consultations to patients through phone calls and messages. He was the key person to initiate telemedicine services in our hospital. He has attended several webinars to acquire skills and knowledge regarding the protocols of management of patients during the corona pandemic which have been essential for the safety of patients as well as hospital staff.

He has a keen interest in vitreoretinal diseases particularly diabetic retinopathy and takes it upon himself to teach diabetic patients about diet plans and the need for control of blood sugar, cholesterol, and blood pressure. He has participated in a diabetic retinopathy screening survey conducted in a rural community in Bolde, the results of which have been published by Norwegian University of Science and Technology. Moreover, he has been performing laser procedures (PRP, Focal, and grid lasers) and intravitreal injection of anti-VEGF on regular basis for patients with diabetic retinopathy. These procedures which are provided free of charge (government health insurance service) have reduced the financial burden, improved the quality of life for patients in Kavrepalanchowk region (a large population group with limited access to tertiary level eye care).

Apart from his clinical work, he has published a number of research papers including 2 papers on the coronavirus pandemic. He actively participates in teaching the students who come for ophthalmology postings to our hospital. He is fondly known as the “go-to” person if any of the students, interns, or residents have any queries.

He is eagerly participating in yet another surgical camp in Dhalkebar, a remote village in the Terai belt of Nepal, where we are aiming to provide free cataract surgeries to approx. 350 patients. This is another example where he is willing to pitch in for the good and wellness of the community.

We envision him gaining more success and helping the unreached community even more. Passionate towards promoting eye health care with a formidable zeal to provide quality service to the patients we cannot be more delighted to nominate him as the eye health hero -2021.

“Ophthalmology is an amalgamation of both medicine and surgery. One has to go through 5 years of rigorous medical training before pursuing ophthalmology as a career. Ophthalmologists, apart from managing ocular conditions, can also aid in the diagnosis of multitude of systemic diseases like sickle cell disease, pituitary adenoma, Graves’ disease, brain aneurysms, multiple sclerosis, carotid emboli, myasthenia gravis, and many more.

Similarly, we as Ophthalmologists require to enhance our surgical skills which have a steep learning curve. The work and effort which we put in to learn the intricate surgery is rewarded when we make the blind person see. There have been instances where I have operated on patients who had been dependent on others for daily tasks for many years, now able to walk on their own. There are a few who have not been able to see their loved ones for many years now can express their love through their eyes.

I strongly believe that every Ophthalmologist aims to provide the utmost level of care to the patients by working in harmony with other eye health professionals (optometrists, ophthalmic assistants, opticians). The level of satisfaction we get when we make a blind person see is unmatched by any reward.”

– Dr Sanket Parajuli