Over 1.58 cr people screened under Telangana's eye test programme

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IANS | 04 Jun, 2023
More than 1.58 crore people underwent eye tests so far under the second phase of Telangana government's ambitious Kanti Velugu, billed as the world's largest eye screening programme.

Free eye test camps are being held across the state. As many as 22,21,494 people have been given reading glasses.

The programme, which took off with the slogan 'Blindness free Telangana' state, is continuing in 12,304 Gram Panchayats and Municipal Wards.

On August 15, 2018, Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao launched the first phase of Kanti Velugu programme. The programme lasted for 8 months in which free eye tests were conducted for 1.50 crore people. Spectacles were distributed free of cost to 50 lakh people.

The Chief Minister started the second phase on January 18, 2023. In 89 working days, eye tests were conducted for 96.21 per cent of people. The government has decided to complete the eye tests for all the people within the target of 100 working days.

Officials said special care was being taken to conduct the programme without interrupting other medical services. All public representatives and the Medical Department, Panchayat Raj, Municipal and other departments are actively participating. The government has formed quality control teams at state and district level to monitor the functioning of teams.

Medical officials expressed the opinion that if the programme continues in this way, there is a possibility of conducting eye tests for 2 crore people. The Telangana government is proud to take up such a massive programme which has not been undertaken by any state in the country so far.

The state government launched the programme in line with its vision of health for all. District collectors, medical and health officials and officials of various departments are planning and conducting the camps.

According to the target set by the government, the Kanti Velugu programme is being vigorously implemented throughout the state with advance plans, continuous monitoring, daily reviews, analysis, video conference and meetings, correcting the deficiencies from time to time.

As per the figures recorded in the camps show that in all the districts, there are more people who are suffering from blur vision. They are not able to see close objects. Many people over the age of 40 come to the camp with near sightedness. Reading glasses are provided to such people immediately. Besides these, vitamin A, D and B complex tablets are being distributed to many people who are coming with eye problems.

The figures show that people above the age of 50 are mostly suffering from cataracts. The medical staff say that they are communicating to those who need surgery. Doctors are giving advice and instructions to those who already underwent surgery and are suffering from other problems.