Concluding function of Eye Donation awareness fortnight programme at GMCH-32

Chandigarh, 8^th Sep, 2017: The Eye Bank Department of Ophthalmology GMCH organized concluding function in collaboration with State Health Society ( NPCB , UT Chandigarh) on the occasion of  Eye Donation awareness fortnight (from 25^th August to 8^th September) today  8^th September, 2017  in  E- Block GMCH. About 250 people attended this function.

Sh. Anurag Agarwal, IAS, Home Secretary cum Secretary Medical Education and Research was the Chief Guest during the occasion. He inaugurated the poster exhibition on eye donation and appreciated the efforts of all the students who participated in this competition. He further told that it should not be difficult to combat the corneal blindness in the country if all of us become sensitive and pledge for eye donation. The Home Secretary also appreciated the work done by the Eye Bank, GMCH during the fortnight. Sh Anurag Agarwal said that our religion is very generous where we try to donate everything like money, Deepak, clothes; then why not eye donation. He even stressed the need for body donation.  He lauded the efforts of NGOs in such activities.                    

Visually impaired students from Institute for Blind, Sector – 26 presented a welcome song. Chief guest  gave away prizes to the winners of inter school on the spot poster making competition on the theme of eye donation held in GMCH with Lions Club Chandigarh Central during the fortnight.

In category one ( class 7^th and 8^th ) Anup from Govt. Model High School, Sector 32-D, Chandigarh got the first prize, while Komal Preet Kaur from Manav Mangal Smart School, Phase-X, Mohali and Krishan from Govt. Middle School, Sec-33B , Chandigarh were declared 2^nd and 3^rd respectively. Pallavi Verma from Manav Mangal High School, Sector 21-C, Chandigarh, Bhumi from Shri Guru Harkrishan Model School, Sector 38 D, Chandigarh and Param Prateek from Manav Mangal Smart School, Phase –X, Mohali got the consolation prize. In category two (class 9^th and 10^{th )} Yashika Chugh from Manav Mangal Smart School, phase-X, Mohali got the first prize. Jagriti Samlodia from Shishu Niketan Model Senior Secondary School, Sector-22, Chandigarh stood second. Husan preet Kaur from Manav Mangal Smart School, Phase  X, Mohali and Nikita from Government Model Senior Secondary School, Sec-28 D, Chandigarh got the 3rd prize. Consolation prize was bagged by Suraj from Government Model High School, Sector 32-D,Chandigarh.

Prof A. K. Janmeja, Director Principal, GMCH    welcomed the chief guest and appreciated the role of NGOs and media for spreading the message about eye donation.  He told that there are approximately 6.8 million people having problem in one cornea while one million people have problem in both the corneas. So to fight with corneal blindness, everyone should come forward and donate corneas.

 Sh. S. K. Jain Additional Director GMCH, Prof Ravi Gupta, Medical Superintendent GMCH and Dr Vandana Gupta, Medical Superintendent Sector 16 and other faculty and staff of GMCH also attended the function

Prof Sudesh Kumar Arya, HOD Eye Department and Incharge Eye Bank GMCH briefed about various activities done during the fortnight and delivered the talk on eye donation. He told that there are approximately 1.2 lakhs completely blind persons from corneal diseases in the country and about 25000 new cases are added every year. Majority of such blind persons are young and their eyesight could only be restored by a corneal transplantation. Every year approximately 30,000 to 40,000 eyes are collected as against the target of 1 lakh per year by Govt of India. The reason for not getting adequate eye donation in the country is due to certain myths. People should shed off these religious myths and come forward for eye donation.

He highlighted important facts about eye donation. One eye donor can give eye sight to 5-6 blind people. Eye donation should be done within 6 hours after death. There is no disfigurement due to donation as only cornea is removed from dead body and which is replaced by artificial plastic cornea. There is no funeral delay due to eye donation because eye donation process takes only 10-15 minutes only. He told the procedure of eye pledging and eye donation. For eye donation after death, one can contact the GMCH Eye Bank helpline number 9814821212.