Eye Donation campaign organized at GNDU Health Centre

Amritsar, Sept. 12, 2016 (Punjab Post Bureau) –  Eye Donation after death fortnight campaign launched by Ministry of Health & Welfare, Govt. of India was organized in the Guru Nanak Dev University Health Centre. Medical team led by Prof. Dr. Dharmvir Chalia (Prof. and Head Deptt. of Ophthalmology Govt. Medical College, Amritsar) started the programme. Prof. Dr. Sharanjit Singh Dhillon, Registrar was the Chief Guest on the occasion. Hon’ble Chief Guest was welcomed by Dr. Avinash Nagpal (Chairperson, Medical Committee) as well as the doctors and the staff of the Health Centre.

Dr. Chalia informed that Eye donation is a part of National Control of Blindness Programme under which corneal blindness is curable only through corneal transplantation and the source for cornea is only the eyes received through donation (as no artificial cornea has been developed so far). He explained about eye donation and its procedure, use of eyes received through donation, importance of eye banks and the procedure to contact the eye bank. He emphasized that the eye banks are covered under ‘Transplantation of Human Organs Act, 1994’.

He further said that diabetes, hypertension and coronary artery disease are very common in the society. Though people get their blood tests done very frequently, but never bother for fundus of the eye examination, with the result diabetic patients move towards irreversible loss of vision and ultimately blindness. Large sections of people i.e. Teaching, Non-Teaching Staff, Students & Campus Residents attended the programme. As many as, 70 persons filled the Declaration of Gift of Eyes to the Nation. At the end vote of thanks was presented by University Medical Officer.