In this Expert’s Corner, Dr Kamal Babu, COO South, ASG Eye Hospital and Vasan Eye Care, discusses preventing diabetes‑related vision loss and tackling rising childhood myopia. He outlines outreach wins like Driver Drishti, the district‑hospital model, telemedicine links for remote doctors, and why ethics and training must underpin scalable care.
1. To begin, could you briefly describe your current role and the core mission that drives your work in healthcare today?
My role at the moment as COO (South) is to strengthen branches and build teams of doctors. Along with this, we are looking at more innovations that we want to do. Our core mission at ASG Eye Hospital and Vasan is to build accessible and affordable healthcare for all individuals, irrespective of their financial situation and we want to provide the best healthcare possible. This cannot be done without skilled and trained personnel. At the moment, this is my focus and our vision and mission are what drives my work in healthcare.
2. Which specific problem in the healthcare ecosystem are you most focused on solving, and why does it matter now?
When it comes to eye care, blindness is the most common challenge and there are two types of blindness: one is preventable and the other is non-preventable. There are several diseases which can be diagnosed, treated and prevented. Hence, saving vision.
These problems can be cataract (due to age mostly, so it is rarely very serious) or it can be retinopathy because of diabetes. And I would say diabetes is the most common problem. We are facing a challenge right now because of diabetes. The numbers used to be one in 10 earlier. Now it is one in 5 people and most damage is happening because of a lack of awareness. (Not only for the eye but for many of the systems in the body). For the treatment of the eye, there are new lasers, new injections and innovations in treatment. All in all, right now I feel more concerned about the diabetic patient’s eye health.
On some days in OPD, out of 100 patients, we see 40 to 50 coming in with diabetes related eye complications, which is on its way to becoming a very big healthcare problem. So we are focusing on preventable blindness. Our second but equally important focus area is paediatrics, and the rising concern of Myopia.
3. Can you share one initiative, product or programme from your organisation that you believe has made the most meaningful impact on patients, providers or the health system?
We have a lot of initiatives happening at ASG-Vasan. We do several screening camps at schools to build awareness around eye care. We previously offered Diwali Trauma care, where we offered free checkups and surgery for children below the age of 14 for the period of Diwali. The next campaign was “Police Heroes” where we offered free eye screening for all govt. Employed Security personnel. Recently, we launched the “Driver Drishti” campaign, providing free, comprehensive eye check-ups and 1,000 free cataract surgeries for commercial drivers (truck, bus, taxi, auto). The initiative aims to improve road safety for drivers and reduce the incidence of accidents as an overall safety precaution. A lot of heavy vehicle drivers drive at night, so most of them struggle with cataracts and diabetic retinopathy without even knowing it. They still keep driving and it causes unfortunate incidents. The campaign was very successful. Many patients are afraid of surgery and hence they avoid eye check-ups, but this has shown everyone that surgery is nothing to be afraid of.
4. What is one innovation or strategic decision that significantly changed the trajectory of your organisation or portfolio in the last 2- 3 years?
We’re currently working on a district model which aligns with our original mission of taking eye care to the remotest corners of the country. These hospitals will be fully equipped to manage the majority of eye disorders, which allows quicker diagnoses, faster treatments and easier recovery for patients. It also helps strengthen the skill building in remote areas, which eventually allows livelihood to skilled ophthalmologists, optometrists and several other important roles within the medical field of ophthalmology. Imagine new doctors can go back to their villages and do so much more for their hometowns.
5. From a business perspective, what do you see as the biggest operational or financial challenge in Indian healthcare today, and how are you addressing it?
In India, we still see medical insurance; it has hardly 20 to 30% penetration. So I think people should be aware of this medical insurance and all of them should opt for this early on, because it gets tougher as one grows older. Especially looking into eye diseases like cataract. Every patient should opt for insurance at an early stage. Everyone thinks insurance is not affordable, but now, several schemes can actually reduce medical expenditure. So why not get a surgery done with advanced machinery, but at an affordable cost through insurance.
6. Collaboration is critical in healthcare. Who do you see as your most important partners (hospitals, payers, startups, government, etc.), and how do these partnerships create value?
We are partnering with private and single-practice ophthalmology practices in areas where the larger eye hospital chains could not reach in the past. The ASG network helps them achieve better reach, infrastructure, and formalities for add-ons like insurance company tie-ups. We empower them with telemedicine as well, so they are directly connected to main centres in cities, which then allows access to a complete team of doctors. This helps with complicated case referral.
7. Looking ahead to the next 3- 5 years, what one trend in healthcare, pharma or digital health do you think leaders cannot afford to ignore?
Digital is definitely becoming very popular these days. Everybody wants digital and now robotic surgeries have come to the fore and are picking up pace. Telemedicine is also picking up pace and presents high clarity on images and is helping patients as well as doctors tremendously.
8. What is one lesson or piece of advice you would offer to emerging healthcare leaders and founders who want to build sustainable, impact-driven businesses?
Healthcare can only scale when ethics remain non-negotiable. If you compromise on integrity, there is no long-term growth. The foundation has to be strong- good surgeons, the right technology, and a relentless focus on quality. That means continuously investing in advanced machines, regularly upgrading staff skills, and ensuring surgeons are trained on the latest techniques so patient outcomes are never at risk. Equally important is the team that supports them. A well-trained, committed staff is what translates clinical excellence into patient trust. Healthcare is evolving every single day, with innovations and better ways of delivering care. Ethical practice combined with constant learning is what truly takes healthcare to the next level.
