Monday, September 27, 2009 – Thursday, October 1, 2009
This week for our Twitter “Social Enterprise of the Day,” we’ve been tweeting about one of the most important aspects of anyone’s life. Good health for oneself and one’s loved ones desired by all human beings. This week our focus has been on those organizations that are providing cost- effective, accessible, and quality healthcare for everyone. While some of these organizations are non-profit, those like Aravind Eyecare have made path-breaking innovations in existing business models to enable them to serve the poor millions and yet be financially viable enterprises.
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Social Enterprise of the Day – Aravind Eye Care System
A social organization committed to the goal of elimination of needless blindness through comprehensive eye- care services, Aravind Eye Care Services has served 2.4 million people for outpatient eye care and performed more than 285,000 surgeries. In addition, Aravind is also a training center for ophthalmic professionals and manufactures world-class ophthalmic products available at affordable costs through the Aurolab. Built on a 24-hour service model for high-volume, high-quality service, the organization has managed to bring down its cost-per- surgery so drastically that they offer free services to poor patients and still turn a profit.
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Social Enterprise of the Day – Pro Mujer
Pro Mujer, a Latin American non-profit organization supported by Seattle-based Global Partnerships provides health screenings and financial help to women using mobile vans with attached consultationrooms staffed by nurses and doctors. These vans travel to places such as southern Peru where women have little or no access to facilities such as cervical cancer screenings and gynecological examinations. In Nicaragua, Pro Mujer helped give 9,000 tests over four years, which detected tumors in 700 women who otherwise would not have known they needed treatment.
Thursday, October 1, 2009
Social Enterprise of the Day – Narayana Hrudayalaya
The mantra for Narayana Hrudayalaya, founded by Dr. Devi Shetty, is: no child should be deprived of quality healthcare. Today, its two branches (in Bangalore and Kolkata) perform about 10% of all cardiac surgeries performed in India. Catering to all sections of society, the poor are never turned away and are accommodated by the “hospital with a heart.” Recently, a 1,500-bed cancer hospital has also been set up at the Narayana Health City in Bangalore as a joint venture between Dr. Devi Shetty and Kiran Mazumdar Shaw, Managing Director of Biocon Limited.
Friday, October 2, 2009
Social Enterprise of the Day –Mercy Ships
A global healthcare charity with a difference, Mercy Ships is the world’s largest hospital ship, which provides services such as free healthcare, mental health programs, and end-of-life care to to terminally ill patients, in developing nations around the world, with a focus on Africa. Both medical and non-medical crews on the ship are volunteers. Mercy Ships has treated more than 212,000 people in village medical clinics and taught more than 14,500 local health care and professional workers, who have in turn trained many others in primary health care, according to the organization’s website. .
