Australia will expand its vision screening programme for disadvantaged children, currently being held in Chennai, to other cities in south India, Patrick Suckling, Australian High Commissioner to India said on Wednesday.
Speaking to beneficiaries of the programme at Government Adi Dravidar Welfare Higher Secondary School in Palavakkam, the Australian envoy said it would be extended to seven other cities in south India – Coimbatore, Kanyakumari, Puducherry, Visakhapatnam, Vijayawada, Calicut and Cochin.
Mr. Suckling was at the school to inspect the programme that is funded by the Australian Consulate General, Chennai and to distribute free spectacles to children suffering from refractive errors. The programme, supported by a grant from the Consulate General’s Direct Aid Programme, is being led by the India Vision Institute (IVI) — a joint initiative of LV Prasad Eye Institute of Hyderabad and Brien Holden Vision Institute in Sydney.
The programme aims at screening 4,000 children from poor families, between the ages of 5 and 15 from select schools in Chennai and its suburbs. Students diagnosed with refractive errors will be provided free spectacles.
“Over 10 crore people in rural India need glasses, but do not have access to them,” said Vinod Daniel, CEO of India Vision Institute. “This support from Australia will make a difference to economically disadvantaged communities. in south India” IVI is focused on supporting and promoting awareness, research, education and technological development in Indian optometry to advance capacity in vision correction and prevention of blindness.
