The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : "Centre committed to making eye donation a mass movement"

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Jun 11, 2007
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Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

"Centre committed to making eye donation a mass movement"

Special Correspondent

Inaugurates `Blind Free India-A Reality' project

PROJECT LAUNCHED: Union Health Minister Anbumani Ramadoss (third from left), inaugurating the Blind Free India - A Reality at the 12th anniversary celebrations of Rajan Eye Care Hospital in Chennai on Sunday. (From left to right) R. Sekar, ADGP, Pris ons, Dr. Mohan Rajan and Dr. Sujatha Mohan of Rajan Eye Care Hospital, are in the picture. — Photo: K. V. Srinivasan

CHENNAI: There has been a huge gap between the demand for donated eyes and the availability, and the Centre was committed to making eye donation a mass movement, Health Minister Anbumani Ramadoss said on Sunday.

Though last year's requirement was 1,20,000 eyes, only 25,000 eyes were donated.

Similarly, eight-and-a-half million units of blood were required for various surgical procedures, but only six million were donated, Mr. Anbumani said while participating in the 12th anniversary celebrations of Rajan Eye Care Hospital and launching of the `Blind Free India — A Reality' project.

The National Blindness Control was one of the most successful schemes, and 50 lakh cataract surgeries were completed last year.

The prevalence of blindness had come down to 1.1 per cent and the Government was hopeful of further reducing it to 0.3 per cent by 2015, five years ahead of the target. However, childhood blindness still posed a huge problem.

The WHO had warned that India was moving towards an epidemic of non-communicable diseases such as cardiovascular ailments. In 15 years hence, nearly 65 million people in the country were likely to be diabetic.

The Government would soon launch a National School Health Programme, where school children would be screened for eye and hearing defects, vitamin deficiency and diabetes. It was planned to introduce the MMR (mumps, measles, rubella) vaccine soon, Dr. Ramadoss added.

The Government would support all efforts made by private hospitals to propogate tele-ophthalmology. `The Blind Free India Project' of Rajan Eye Care would target all forms of blindness such as those induced by cataract, glaucoma and diabetic retinopathy. The project would also focus on preventive eye-care, Dr. Mohan Rajan of Rajan Eye Care, said. Future projects included an exclusive surgical block and a state-of-the-art mobile van.

Dr. Ramadoss also inaugurated various hi-tech eye care facilities at the hospital.

Commending the role played by the hospital in advanced eye care, Mrs Y.G. Parthasarathy, Dean, PSBB Group of Schools, said students should be made part of the movement too.

Dr. Sujatha Mohan of Rajan Eye Care Hospital and R. Sekar, ADGP (Prisons), Tamil Nadu Police, also spoke.

Tackling chikungunya

Later, speaking to reporters, Dr. Ramadoss said that Rs. 4 crore had been allotted to Kerala under the National Rural Health Mission to tackle the threat of chikungunya.

The Centre had assured all possible help, and funds were not a constraint, he pointed out.

Top-level medical teams had been despatched to the affected areas and virology kits distributed. Fourteen referral labs had been set up across the country.

Top Health Department officials had personally reviewed the situation on Sunday morning.

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