In what comes across as a ray of hope for those suffering from corneal blindness, the Khammam Eye Bank has collected a whopping 852 corneas from the deceased in 2014-15.
Eye donations in the district have witnessed a quantum leap over the past five years.
The eye bank here has excelled in the Hospital Cornea Retrieval Programme (HCRP) by effectively spearheading a vigorous campaign to promote voluntary eye donations in the district. It significantly improved its tally of corneas collected from a meagre 204 in 2010-11 to 298 in 2011-12, 345 in 2012-13, 594 in 2013-14 and 852 in 2014-15.
Last year’s figures include the donations of the parents of six children who passed away in different road accidents, and that of the families of three couples who died in separate incidents. This is largely owing to the efforts of trained volunteers and counsellors of the eye bank, as well as the District Blindness Control Society.
Besides, the eye bank is also offering free transport for shifting the bodies to the graveyards after collection of corneas.
“The Khammam Eye Bank has distinguished itself in collection of corneas with the active support of philanthropists and other sections of society,” remarked R.A. Padmanabham, secretary of the eye bank.
A plan is on the anvil to open a sub-centre either in Bhadrachalam or Kothagudem to give a fillip to voluntary eye donation campaign in the tribal sub-plan mandals, and also spread awareness on eye care among Adivasis, he said.