Arunachal Pradesh is the second highest blindness prevalence state in the country after Assam which is a matter of great concern given its comparatively small population.

The fact that Arunachal has five eye donation centers but not a single eye donation yet must be pondered by authorities. How many people in the state are even aware that 5-eye donation centers even exists? When people are not aware, how do you expect people to volunteer? There is simply no free flow of information to facilitate eye donations.

The National Program for Control of Blindness, Arunachal chapter must realize that it must inspire for traction to take place. They must take this opportunity not only to appeal people to donate their eyes but work on loopholes which are hindering the department’s performance and outreach.

A grieving family cannot be assumed to reach out to the nearest eye bank to carry out an eye donation. The department therefore must also see that there are enough donation counsellors to facilitate the process.

The National Programme for Control of Blindness was launched in India in the year 1976 as a 100% Centrally Sponsored scheme with the goal to reduce the prevalence of blindness.  Forty years down the line, we cannot boast that the situation has changed much on the ground. The country is still home to the world’s largest number of blind people.

Union health ministry data shows 51,354 eyes were donated in 2013-14, but only 22,384 were used for transplant. The numbers have remained dismal over the past few years, with more than 50% of the donated eyes going waste. More than 2.5 lakh blind people in India could regain eyesight if they get a corneal transplant, but more than 22,000 eyes donated in 2015 went waste due to delay or infections.

What's worse, 75% of these are cases of avoidable blindness—courtesy, an acute shortage of optometrists and donated eyes for the treatment of corneal blindness.

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Kenter Joya Riba

(Managing Editor)
      She is a graduate in Science with post graduation in Sociology from University of Pune. She has been in the media industry for nearly a decade. Before turning to print business, she has been associated with radio and television.
Email: kenterjoyaz@easternsentinel.in / editoreasternsentinel@gmail.com
Phone: 0360-2212313

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