The Hindu : Front Page : Google expertise for Aravind Hospital

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Aug 07, 2006

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Google expertise for Aravind Hospital

S. Vijay Kumar

The Google co-founder and president (Products), Larry Page (left), at the Aravind Eye Hospital in Madurai on Sunday.

MADURAI: The role of Information Technology (IT) in eye care management is set to scale new heights with global IT major, Google, offering to provide its expertise to Aravind Eye Hospital.

The Google co-founder and president (Products), Larry Page, flew down to Madurai by a special plane on Sunday to have an overall view of the functions of the hospital. A presentation was made on how the hospital, which had a humble beginning, emerged into a world-class institution for eye care and obtained recognition as the only examination centre of the Royal College of Ophthalmology, United Kingdom, in the country.

Hospital executive director R.D. Thulasiraj told The Hindu that it would explore the possibilities of having a long-term working relationship with Google. Training of doctors and para-medical staff in clinical and management aspects of eye care using IT as a platform is on the cards.

After browsing through the hospital's portal on comprehensive eye care management, he said Mr. Page assured that Google Foundation would assist the hospital in its distance education programmes. "The focus would be on extending quality eye care to rural areas using IT. We will also work together on health projects benefiting the poor," he added. Google.org executive director Larry Brilliant, who had a long association with the hospital founder, G. Venkataswamy, was part of the team.

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