Free eye treatment: State to introduce 'Chokher Alo' project from Basirhat

KOLKATA: The Bengal government has decided to start Chokher Alo project to provide free treatment to patients with eye problems from Basirhat in North 24-Parganas.

Senior officials of the state government said that after a survey it was found that most of the patients with eye problems are residents of Basirhat and so this project was first started in Basirhat.

A senior official of the state government said: "Starting from cataract to various eye infections, people from interior villages are registering their names for the project. Doctors from state-run hospitals have been engaged, who will visit the place twice a week and see the patients."

The project will provide free eye-care, including cataract surgery, spectacles and eye check-up to all.

Another senior official of the state government said: "We have launched this project. Under this project, at least 2 million poor and elderly people can undergo free cataract surgery. We will also provide free spectacles to around 8.25 lakh people." The project will also provide free eye check-up to about 10 lakh students in government schools across the state and around four lakh students, would be provided with free glasses. Children visiting anganwadi centres can also get free eye check-ups, so that eye problems could be detected at an early stage.

More than 300 eye surgeons and around 400 optometrists would be working on this project.

"In the first phase starting from 1 August, camps would be held in around 120 villages in Basirhat and around 40 primary health centres in Basirhat. Later the project will be kicked off in all villages, towns and cities," the official said.

The project will cover 1,200 gram panchayats and 120 urban primary health centres.