Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik congratulated the joint venture of ‘Drushti Daan’, a nonprofit-making eye care NGO and the premier eye care provider of the country lV Prasad Eye Institute in achieving a roaring success in cornea transplantation, thereby setting an example for removing cornea blindness from Odisha as well as from the country. Joining as chief guest at a function on July 2 here, Patnaik expressed his satisfaction over the successful endeavour of ‘Drushti Daan’ in collecting an enviable eye donation for the benefit of the people.
Joining as the guest of honour, Minister for Health and Family Welfare, Pratap Jena lauded the efforts of both ‘Drushti Daan’ and lV Prasad Eye Institute in achieving a record target in removal of cornea blindness from the State and declared that the Government would penetrate into the rural regions in identifying cornea blindness among the people, especially from among the vulnerable weaker sections of the society.
Earlier the CM Patnaik declared that the Government would provide free scrutiny of cornea affected blindness among school children in near future.
Internationally known opthalmologist, vice-chairman lV Prasad Eye Institute, Dr TP Das said that the union of lV Prasad Eye Institute and ‘Drushti Daan’ is like the joining of the head and heart for carrying on this noble task of cornea transplantation in the country.
He remembered with nostalgia how in the year of 2002, a group of dedicated 18 volunteers began the task which has become a success story by now.
Dr Das unequivocally commended the role of noted eye donation activist Sudha Sundarajan, Nalini Sharma, eye specialist Dr ST Muralidharan and Dr Sujata Dash in carrying out the onerous task selflessly.
Joining the celebration as a special guest, chairman of lV Prasad Eye Institute and an internationally acclaimed veteran eye surgeon Dr GN Rao said that over 30,000 cornea blindness have been removed from the country by now and over two lakh of such cases are to be operated.
He recollected that when he started his efforts in this regard after his homecoming from the US, the people used to cut jokes with him by expressing their grave doubts over eye donation in India but their apprehensions have become a myth by now.
He hoped that with a band of committed cornea surgeons and with the support of NGOs like ‘Drushti Daan’ together with the encouragement of Chief Ministers like Naveen Patnaik, cornea blindness can be effectively combated and removed from the country.
Dr Rao reiterated that the lV Prasad will continue to provide connectivity and collaboration to the mission of ‘Drushti Daan’ in their noble endeavour.
Vice-president Asia, Sightlife Global Programme, Atul Kapoor also spoke on the occasion.
Chief Minister Patnaik released a special commemorative postal cover to mark the memorable occasion. Patnaik also felicitated noted surgeons like Dr ST Muralidhar and Dr Sujata Das for their contributions towards the mission. Patnaik also offered warm ovations to the cornea surgeons, volunteers and ‘Drushti Daan’ staff.
A release and screening of a short film also took place.
At the outset president of ‘Drushti Daan’ Dr KC Padhy presented the scenario of ‘Drushti Daan’ awareness in the State and about the journey of ‘Drushti Daan’ from its humble beginning to its present pinnacle of glory. The meeting ended with a vote of thanks by Anil Dhir.