Scaling Diabetic Eye Screenings for Vision Protection
Summary
In 2024, Oivi commits to scale eye screenings in India to prevent vision loss due to diabetes using their innovative diabetic retinopathy (DR) scanning technology.Their approach ensures an average screening time per patient of less than five minutes and eliminates the need for pupil dilation, removing patient discomfort. By utilizing a telehealth platform, Oivi increases accessibility and provides services at zero out-of-pocket expense for patients. Oivi aims to reach 8,000 screening camps across India, screening approximately 200,000 patients, identifying 12,000 people at risk for DR, and providing timely referrals to specialists to prevent vision loss by 2025. In collaboration with its pharmaceutical partner, USV Pharma, Oivi is extending DR screening to underserved areas, enhancing patient health outcomes by raising awareness of diabetes’ sight-threatening implications, and catching the disease early to prevent blindness.
Approach
Oivi Commits to conduct 8,000 screening camps across India, screening approximately 200,000 patients, identifying 12,000 at risk of DR, and providing timely referrals to specialists to prevent vision loss. Over the course of 18 months. Oivi has developed an innovative solution to address the current challenges in DR screening. Their approach ensures an average screening time per patient of less than five minutes and eliminates the need for pupil dilation, removing patient discomfort. By utilizing a telehealth platform, Oivi increases accessibility and provides services at zero out-of-pocket expense for patients.
In collaboration with its pharmaceutical partner, USV Pharma, Oivi is extending DR screening to underserved areas, enhancing patient health outcomes by raising awareness of diabetes’ sight-threatening implications and catching the disease early to prevent blindness. In the first phase, Oivi will organize 530 eye screening camps over six months, approximately 100 camps per month across 63 cities. These camps will be held at clinics of general physicians and diabetologists who currently lack the necessary infrastructure for DR screening. The objective is to provide immediate results, allowing patients to be promptly informed about their health status while still at their doctor’s office, facilitating timely referrals to specialists for further care and treatment. By the end of 2025 they aim to conduct 8080 camps across India to reach 200,000 patients collectively, identifying 12,000 patients at potential risk for DR. Oivi sees significant opportunities to expand their screening program, with multiple pharmaceutical companies interested in partnering to deliver this cost-efficient and accessible health service.
Oivi will provide telehealth expertise, staff training, and management, while partners offer resources, funding, and logistics. Challenges include coordination and funding, but strong strategies and partnerships can overcome these
Action Plan
Q3 2024 : Completion of Phase 1 i.e. 530 screening camps
Q4 2024 : Analysis and Submission of Summary Report for camps executed in Phase I and completion of 1250 new camps thereby accomplishing 1780 camps in aggregate.
Q1 2025 : Analysis and Submission of Summary Report for new camps executed in Q4 2024 and completion of 1500 new camps thereby accomplishing 3280 camps in total
Q2 2025 : Analysis and Submission of Summary Report for new camps executed in Q1 2025 and completion of 2000 new camps thereby accomplishing 5280 camps in aggregate.
Q3 2025: Analysis and Submission of Summary Report for new camps executed in Q2 2025 and completion of 2800 new camps thereby accomplishing 8080 camps in aggregate.
Q4 2025: Analysis and Submission of Summary Report for new camps executed in Q3 2025 submission of Final Summary Report covering deliverables for the entire term of commitment
Background
India currently has 101 million people with diabetes, a number expected to rise to 125 million by 2045 (Lancet, 2023) . It is estimated that one in five adults in India will have diabetes, with the majority having type-2 diabetes during their working age, impacting their work, family, and imposing an economic burden on the country. Diabetes, a chronic disease, has several associated systemic complications, including diabetic retinopathy (DR) , which affects vision. High blood sugar levels can lead to the swelling and leakage of these vessels or cause abnormal new blood vessels to grow on the surface of the retina. This damage can lead to vision impairment and, if left untreated, permanent blindness. DR is a leading cause of blindness among working-age adults, affecting approximately 16.9% of diabetes patients.
However, addressing this critical issue faces significant challenges. Much of diabetes care in India occurs at local family clinics and through family physicians, who often lack the necessary equipment for eye screenings. The cost of fundus cameras, essential for detecting DR, remains prohibitively high, rendering it economically unfeasible for these clinics to invest in them.
Moreover, there is a shortage of trained professionals capable of conducting these screenings, exacerbating the problem. The process itself is time-consuming, and patients frequently experience discomfort due to required pupil dilation. Furthermore, delays in delivering screening results, sometimes up to 24-48 hours, add to the inefficiencies of current practices.
These challenges highlight the urgent need for innovative solutions and increased accessibility to screening technologies and trained personnel. Addressing these gaps could potentially mitigate the devastating impact of DR on the Indian population, ensuring timely interventions and preserving precious eyesight for millions affected by diabetes.
Progress Update
Partnership Opportunities
To scale and complete our commitment, Oivi seeks support in several areas. Financial resources are crucial to expand our screening camps, covering equipment, staffing, and logistics. Partnerships with local healthcare providers, NGOs, and community groups will help them mobilize and educate communities, ensuring smooth operations. Access to global best practices will refine our approach, and media support will amplify Oivi’s message, raising awareness about the importance of early DR detection and treatment. With the right resources and support, Oivi can significantly improve health outcomes for individuals with diabetes and prevent vision loss., In Oivi’s commitment to enhancing eye health awareness among diabetes patients through mass screening, they offer expertise in organizing and conducting eye screening programs, logistical support including venue arrangements and equipment provision, and educational materials emphasizing annual eye screenings. Oivi encourages collaborative research, provides networking opportunities with healthcare professionals, advocates for supportive policies, and conducts capacity-building training for healthcare workers. Additionally, they collaborate on public awareness campaigns to highlight the importance of eye health for diabetes patients. These efforts aim to establish impactful partnerships that expand our program’s reach, improve eye health outcomes, and reduce the societal burden of vision loss associated with diabetes.