Govt. committed to eradicate blindness, says CM

By Our Staff Reporter

HYDERABAD, OCT. 10. The Chief Minister, Mr. N. Chandrababu Naidu, on Wednesday expressed concern at the extent of visual impairment in the State. "One out of every 10 people in the State has serious visual impairment. This is an alarming situation," he said on Wednesday.

In a statement on the eve of the `World Sight Day' on Thursday, Mr. Naidu said the State Government in association with all eye care organisations had launched a massive programme to eliminate blindness in the State by 2020. "Elimination of blindness is a priority area in the State's Vision-2020 programme. We will reach out to individuals in every nook and corner of the State," he remarked.

A sum of Rs. 80 crores was already allocated for the next five years to increase the number of cataract operations being performed from the present 3.5 lakhs per year to 5 lakhs a year besides providing spectacles to the needy and improvement of existing eye care infrastructure in the State.

Awareness on IOL surgery

Highlighting the advantages of Intra-Ocular Lens (IOL) implantation surgery in Government and Non-Government Hospitals, a poster competition, launching of website and spots on TV and radio, are some of the programmes lined up for the `World Sight Day' being observed on October 11 with the theme, `Gift of sight for the aged, IOL implantation'.

The Joint Director, National Programme for Control of Blindness, Directorate of Medical and Health Service, Dr. G. Hari Prasad, in a press release said the objective was to make people aware about the advantages of IOL surgery free of cost in Government and some hospitals run by the NGOs.

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Section  : Southern States
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