Chandigarh, Nov 3 (IANS): Fifty free eye check-up camps covering more than 400 villages in Punjab will be organised in the next five months by United Sikh Mission (US) in its 18th year of service.

Announcing the eye check-up camps here on Thursday, United Sikh Mission Chairman Rashpal Singh Dhindsa said this "mission for vision" is a selfless act of serving the community and this year, already seven camps have been organised in Ferozepur, Sangrur, Barnala, Kapurthala, Jalandhar and Mohali districts beginning October 15.

A total of 2,627 OPDs, 265 surgeries, 1,684 spectacles and 2,533 medicines were provided in the camps.

Rashpal Singh said they generate their own funds from donations from various sponsors who are mainly NRIs who want their native village to be benefited by the camps.

He expressed that it is all Guru's will and as humans, they are trying to help other humans irrespective of their religion, gender and caste.

He said their mission is to empower communities worldwide by addressing disparities in healthcare needs by eliminating preventable medical illnesses while promoting peace and community to spread prosperity and kindness towards humanity.

Avtar Singh, board of director and camps management, said this is an inspiring journey of a philanthropic American Sikh Rashpal Singh and his team towards establishing a mission to improve eye healthcare to serve his community in Punjab.

He said from 2005, they started with one camp and have since held 463 eye camps.

The organisation plans to initiate work on a charitable hospital to take care of all eye-related surgeries, along with dialysis treatment, all absolutely free of cost, in Punjab.