Nearly 10,000 Punjabis have pledged their eyes during the 30th National Eye Donation Fortnight observed by Punjab Health and Family Welfare Department, from August 25 to September 8.
“During this fortnight, a number of rallies, nukkad natak, seminars and workshops etc were held at districts, blocks and grass root levels across Punjab to motivate people to come forward and donate their eyes,” said the state Principal Secretary for Health and Family Welfare Vini Mahajan on Wednesday.
Giving further information, Mahajan said that nearly 1.2 lakh people in country are blind because of corneal diseases, and every year, 20,000 new cases are added. “Each year, one lakh healthy corneas are required for transplantation and there are large number of people who have to wait for corneal transplant including a substantial number of youth in the country,” she said.
In Punjab, around 2.77 lakh people are suffering from blindness, out of which more than 3,000 people are blind due to corneal disease. “About 1000 eye balls are procured for corneal transplantation in Punjab each year,” she said.
Mahajan said that any person with clear cornea of any age or sex can donate the eyes and even people who may be using contact lenses, spectacles or have undergone any kind of eye surgery can also donate their eyes.
As per ‘Transplantation of Human Organs Act’, cornea can be taken only from a deceased person.
“Eyes should be donated within six hours of the death of a person. Anyone who wishes to donate eyes can consult the doctors or eye donation counselor in the nearest hospital or contact toll-free helpline no 104,” she said.
She added that a pledge form is also available online at department’s website —http://pbhealth.gov.in/pledge_eye.ht.
“Planning is underway to clear backlog of corneal blindness in Punjab by involving all government and private eye banks,” she added.
Apart from the members of the civil society, many employees of the Health and Family Welfare Department including the Principal Secretary Vini Mahajan, Director Health Services Dr Bhag Mal, and the State Programme Officer, NPCB, Dr Rakesh Gupta have pledged their eyes during the fortnight.