History of ECOS

How It Started?

Dr. Mihir Kumar Bal, deeply impacted by a near-fatal road accident in 1984 while returning from an eye camp, experienced a profound spiritual awakening. He recognized a divine purpose for his survival, dedicating his life to serving people with blindness.

Driven by this newfound purpose, Dr. Bal resigned from his government position. With the invaluable support of the Emmanuel Hospital Association (EHA) in New Delhi and the EHA European Fellowship, ECOS Ministry was established on May 1, 1991, and subsequently registered as a charitable society in 1992. The early contributions and unwavering encouragement from EHA have left an indelible mark on the history of ECOS.

Where it Started?

ECOS embarked on its mission by establishing its first eye hospital, "ECOS Eye Hospital," in a rented building on Giri Road, Brahmapur, Odisha. This marked a significant milestone, making it the pioneering eye hospital in Southern Orissa. Operating under the principles of love and compassion, ECOS provides care to all individuals, irrespective of their caste, creed, or religion. ECOS has played a pivotal role in advancing community ophthalmology in Southern Orissa and neighboring districts of Andhra Pradesh. Since 1992, ECOS has enjoyed a fruitful partnership with Christoffel Blinden Mission (CBM), collaborating to improve eye health in the region.

Current Location

With the assistance of CBM International, in 1998 ECOS established a permanent presence at 3rd Tota Street, Bijipur, Brahmapur, marking a significant milestone in its growth. This ushered in a new era of growth for ECOS Eye Hospital. Key developments included the establishment of a dedicated Low Vision Clinic, an In-House Optical Dispensing Unit, a specialized Diabetes Eye Care Clinic, and various educational programs. Increased outreach activities significantly strengthened ECOS's reputation within the community, reinforcing patient safety and quality of care as core principles.

In 2013, after two decades of operation with the crucial support of the World Bank Assistance Programme through the Government of India (NPCB), along with contributions from CBM Germany and the Federal Ministry for Economic Co-operation and Development Germany (BMZ) through CBM SARO (South Asia Regional Office) Bangalore, ECOS was able to establish new hospital infrastructure with latest equipments and patient facilities. The building was officially inaugurated on April 14, 2016, coinciding with the hospital's Silver Jubilee celebration.