I-PEEK
MLC Voyager | Created by Seva Foundation
Integrating Primary Eyecare Everywhere with Expertise & Knowledge (I-PEEK) an ambitious, systems-level innovation that will deliver essential eye care services through India’s public health system, starting in Jharkhand — one of the country’s poorest states. I-PEEK is projected to reach 4 million people in the next few years, with a focus on tribal, rural, and low-income communities who face high rates of preventable blindness due to limited access to care. By embedding eye screenings, eyeglasses, and surgical referrals into local health centers, I-PEEK will remove cost, distance, and awareness barriers that keep people from getting treatment. With strong state-level buy-in and participation of all stakeholders, I-PEEK is designed to scale across all 40 million residents in Jharkhand.
+750,000 Million Lives Impacted
I-PEEK is transforming access to eye care for millions of low-income individuals in Jharkhand, India, by embedding services directly into Jharkhand’s public health system — making vision care a routine part of care at local clinics.
This scalable innovation has the potential to support and strengthen 361 Primary Health Centers, 178 Community Health Centers, 31 sub-district hospitals, and 21 district hospitals across the state, ensuring early detection, treatment, and referral pathways are accessible to even the most remote communities.
By training frontline workers and general health providers to deliver eye screenings, dispense eyeglasses on-site, and refer patients for surgery, I-PEEK will dramatically reduce avoidable blindness and vision loss. Over the course of its implementation, I-PEEK will establish five model Vision Centers within government-run Community Health Centers and strengthen 52 existing centers. It will train over 2,500 frontline health workers and 170 clinical staff to deliver eye care services and referrals. Through community outreach—including women's self-help groups and ASHA workers — the project will reach populations often excluded from care, such as tribal communities and those living in extreme poverty. I-PEEK will also support the development and adoption of a Jharkhand State Eye Health Plan and integrate vision services into the State-level plan and budget.
By enabling earlier diagnosis and treatment, the initiative will increase employment opportunities, enhance school participation, and help break the cycle of poverty for thousands of families. The project aims to reach 4 million people in initial districts, with plans to expand to the state’s full 40 million population.
The Innovation
I-PEEK is a transformative public-private model that integrates primary eye care into India’s government-run health system. In Jharkhand, where 29% of people live in multidimensional poverty and many rely on under-resourced public services, I-PEEK strengthens eye care infrastructure, builds health worker capacity, and embeds services into routine public care.
The initiative pilots integration in three districts and five sub-districts, supporting 200 primary health centers and five Vision Centers housed within government facilities. It trains ASHAs, medical officers, and ophthalmic personnel, reaching tribal and rural populations often excluded from care. Services include on-site screenings, eyeglasses, and referrals for cataract surgeries— all free or highly subsidized.
What makes I-PEEK unique is its alignment with national programs like Ayushman Bharat and NPCBVI, and its multilevel strategy — securing policy support at the state level while ensuring frontline delivery through trained health workers. With formal government partnerships, a signed MOU, and state budget commitments, I-PEEK is designed to be sustainable and scalable, with a vision to reach all 40 million residents of Jharkhand and beyond.
About Seva Foundation
Seva Foundation is a global nonprofit working to end avoidable blindness and visual impairment. Since 1978, Seva has transformed lives by restoring sight in communities with little or no access to eye care. Today, Seva is a highly effective global nonprofit organization serving 7 million people per year. It works with 150+ partner hospitals around the world (including Native Nations within the United States) to increase the capacity of local hospitals and develop sustainable eye care programs with long-term impact.
