Ray of light for all as Kanti Velugu catches govt’s eye

​Hyderabad: With an objective to make the State an "avoidable blindness free Telangana," the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) government has taken up the universal eye screening under Kanti Velugu programme. The programme will cover entire population (3.5 crore). The budget earmarked for the implementation of the programme is Rs 106 crore, out of which Rs 22 crore will be tapped from National Health Mission.

This one-of-a-kind initiative will be launched by Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao at his constituency Gajwel on the eve of Independence Day (August 15). The programme will continue until January presenting every citizen, whatever be the age, to avail the opportunity to get their eyes checked free of cost.

In all 800 teams, comprising doctors, optometrists, nurses, Asha workers, supervisors will be setting up camps in 31 districts, with GHMC limits alone accounting for 150 teams. Every day eye check-ups will be conducted for 250 people (in rural areas) and 300 people (in urban areas), which means nearly 2.2 lakh people will be covered in a single day. Considering the State population is roughly 350 lakh, it will take 160 days to cover every single person. To avoid sudden rush of locals to the camp, slips will be distributed by authorities specifying date and time of eye check-up. People are being told to bring Aadhaar, Ration card or Aarogyasri card to the camp for their identification.

Schools, community centres, gram panchayat offices etc. were identified to conduct these camps. Government hired over 1,000 optometrists, who will be assisting doctors in conducting preliminary eye check-up using Snellen eye chart. People having common refractive errors would be given reading glasses on the spot. For those detected with eye sight problems, objective and subjective refraction tests would be done to prescribe medicines and glasses. Necessary tablets would be given to such people while glasses have to be prepared according to doctor's prescription which would take three to four weeks.

For those who have to be operated mandatorily to solve sight problems, authorities have readied 114 hospitals run by government, private and NGOs and surgeries would be done after referrals by doctors in the camp.

Government sanctioned nearly Rs 50 crore for procuring equipment, reading glasses and spectacles, medicines and meeting expenditure for preparatory arrangements for these camps and for publicity initiatives. 30 district hospitals and State-run eye hospitals in Hyderabad (Sarojini Devi Eye Hospital) and Warangal have been strengthened by procuring necessary equipment required for surgeries.