Delhi government to set up ultra-modern eye hospital
30 Nov 2012 1:32 AM GMT
Delhi health minister A K Walia on Thursday said that with a view to effectively prevent and manage incidences of blindness in the city, Delhi government proposes to set up an ultra-modern eye hospital in addition to its two existing eye hospitals Guru Nanak Eye Centre and Attar Sen Jain Eye and general hospital.
Walia said that the magnitude of the challenge of blindness can be gauged from the fact that in Delhi there are about 1.85 lakh blind persons of which cataract account for 1,14,250. Government, private and non-government hospitals in Delhi presently are able to operate 90,000 eye patients. Of these, nearly 50 per cent patients come from outside Delhi.
The minister was inaugurating 13th Motiabind Mukti Abhiyana (MMA) at Guru Nanak Eye Hospital. Under the programme, 39 designated hospitals and 500 referral centres in government, private and NGO sector will screen and register the cataract patient needing surgery on Thursday and Friday.
These patients would be provided all expense paid surgery at designated referral hospitals. The minister informed that since inception of MMA, 4.03 lakh patients have been screened and about 43,747 cases successfully operated.
The minister also emphasised that Delhi government is working for a cataract-free-state, as this eye disease is curable. Walia said that it is all the more important since 62 per cent of blindness is caused by cataract.
Rural areas have been specifically covered by the hospitals and referral centres as Delhi’s rural population harbours nearly 1/3 of blinds.
Walia said that the magnitude of the challenge of blindness can be gauged from the fact that in Delhi there are about 1.85 lakh blind persons of which cataract account for 1,14,250. Government, private and non-government hospitals in Delhi presently are able to operate 90,000 eye patients. Of these, nearly 50 per cent patients come from outside Delhi.
The minister was inaugurating 13th Motiabind Mukti Abhiyana (MMA) at Guru Nanak Eye Hospital. Under the programme, 39 designated hospitals and 500 referral centres in government, private and NGO sector will screen and register the cataract patient needing surgery on Thursday and Friday.
These patients would be provided all expense paid surgery at designated referral hospitals. The minister informed that since inception of MMA, 4.03 lakh patients have been screened and about 43,747 cases successfully operated.
The minister also emphasised that Delhi government is working for a cataract-free-state, as this eye disease is curable. Walia said that it is all the more important since 62 per cent of blindness is caused by cataract.
Rural areas have been specifically covered by the hospitals and referral centres as Delhi’s rural population harbours nearly 1/3 of blinds.
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