Soon, eye camps in every Telangana village

Hyderabad: Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao on Monday instructed the Medical and Health Department to get ready to conduct eye tests for every person in the villages all over the state.

At a review meeting on the statewide eye tests at Pragati Bhavan here on Sunday, he wanted to create awareness on the need for eye tests with the help of MPs, MLAs, MLCs and other elected representatives among the people before launching the actual programme.

Medical and Health Minister Sri C Laxmareddy, Chief Advisor Sri Rajiv Sharma, Advisor Sri G R Reddy, Principal Secretary Ms Shanthi Kumari, Medical and Health Director Ms Vakati Karuna, Medical and Health OSD Sri Gangadhar, Chief Programme Officer Sri Srinivas, NPCB Director Sri Motilal Naik, CEO Sri Gopikanth Reddy and others participated.

"First of all find out how many eye camps to be conducted in the state. Determine how many eye tests one medical team can conduct in a day. Based on this, calculate how many medical teams are to be deputed to the villages based on the population figures. In village eye tests for all the people should be conducted on a single day. Conduct eye camps village wise. Medical teams should work for five days in a week and allow them to take leave on Saturdays and Sundays," the Chief Minister said.

"The government should arrange the stay, food for the visiting medical teams in the villages. Keep all the required instruments ready for the conduct of the eye tests. There are about 900 medical teams available all over the state. Enlist the services of not only eye specialists in the state but also from the neighbouring states. Prepare strategies to conduct eye tests in the villages, in Hyderabad, Corporations and municipalities," he added.

Rao also said, "After the eye tests provide spectacles for the needy at free of cost. Give required medicines also free of cost. Refer patients that require surgeries to the government as well as the private hospitals."

"Lot of people are suffering from eye ailments. Since they do not have awareness, they are not seeking any medical help and are shying away from any medical treatment. They are also not in a position to go for the eye tests. They are leading their lives with eye problems. We have to create awareness among such people. Give wider publicity to the free eye camps being conducted by the government. Create an awareness such a way that each and every person should come to the eye camp for the test. Make public representatives, youth, women organisations and voluntary organisations as stakeholders in the programme," he said.

"Once they undergo eye tests they get clarity on their eye problems. Accordingly, they take medical help and precautions. To conduct eye tests for them for the first time is the main responsibility of the government. It is a difficult task to conduct eye test to each and every person in the village. However, I am confident that the officials will complete this task successfully with dedication and commitment," he added.