Bhubaneswar: The health department will open mobile eye treatment camps and centres in 10 more districts of the state this year. This apart, permanent eye care treatment facilities will be available in 50 Community health Centres (CHCs) of the state in the year 2019-20 said Health Secretary Pramod Kumar Meherda at the Sunetra scheme review meeting, Wednesday.
Out of 8.14 lakh schoolchildren who underwent eye check-up in schools, more than 25K students were found to be suffering from eye related problems. As many as 8,929 students were given power glasses. It was also reported in the meeting that out of six government eye banks in the state only three are operating.
Till September this year, 719 people had donated their eyes. In same time, 49, 328 patients had undergone cataract surgery in the state based hospitals. Meherda also said that the Sunetra scheme must reach every district. In January, the state government had launched the Sunetra scheme, worth Rs 680 crore, which ensures free eye care treatment for the citizens of the state.