Indian-Ethiopian sugar producer to plant eye care Center

Overseas Infrastructure Alliance Infrastructure Developers Plc (OIA) an Indian Sugar Factory in Ethiopia signed a memorandum of understanding with the Addis Ababa City Health Bureau to establish an Ophthalmology center worth a million dollars in the premises of Zewditu Memorial Hospital.

The eye care center that will rest on a 12,000 msq plot will be called OIA India Eye Care Center.
During the signing ceremony held on April 8, it was explained OIA will construct a state of the art eye care center, outpatient service with modern diagnostic facilities, minor and major operation theatres, inpatient services, and administrative offices. It will also equip the center with modern diagnostic and clinical medical equipment as well as necessary office equipment and furniture.

Udayan Mukhetjee chief executive officer of OIA told Capital the sugar factory, beyond just making profit, engages in a rural electrification project in collaboration with EEPCo and wishes to also contribute in the health sector. OIA will bring expertise from India to give training to local doctors.

OIA’s engagement to the health sector was actually triggered by Mrs. Neeru Singh, spouse of India’s ambassador to Ethiopia. Mrs. Neeru Singh, also founder of the Art of Living Program in Ethiopia, proposed the idea that Indian investors should also contribute to the society of the country they are operating in.

Gurjit Singh, ambassador of India to Ethiopia, speaking on the occasion noted that the center will benefit Ethiopians and help them achieve their goals in the health sector. He described this as another milestone in the cooperation between the two countries.

ALERT and Menelik II are the only hospitals in the country that offer medium and large scale eye care services.

In addition, OIA had donated one million birr to His Holiness Melketsedic, Archbishop of Ethiopia Orthodox church, in charge of the Gurage, Kembata, Hadia and southern zone, in May 2008, for the construction of a separate dormitory to Mihur School and Orphanage. OIA’s sugar factory is executing projects in Hageremariam- Mega zone, a rural electrification in the Southern Nations, Nationalities and People’s Regional State through credit obtained from the Indian government.

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