AIIMS Delhi: Mansukh Mandaviya chairs 37th National Eye Donation fortnight celebrations

Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare Dr Mansukh Mandaviya chaired the 37th National Eye Donation Fortnight celebrations at All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi.

While All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Delhi has been developing a mobile app for eye patients, Dr Mansukh Mandaviya, the Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare chaired the 37th National Eye Donation Fortnight celebrations at AIIMS yesterday.

These celebrations are organized annually from August 25 to September 8 by National Eye Bank housed in Dr Rajendra Prasad Centre for Ophthalmic Sciences, AIIMS, New Delhi for promoting awareness regarding eye donation, felicitating the donor families, government and non-government organizations for their crucial role towards this noble cause.

“In a country that is globally recognized for seeing health as a seva and considering its health professionals as life saviours, we can similarly create “seva bhav” of donating organs and make a mindshift in our countrymen towards eye and organ donation,” said Mansukh Mandaviya.

Highlighting Government’s effort towards this cause, he added that the Government of India is working towards a robust and systematic work structure for boosting organ donation and efficiently achieving the targets. He appreciated the efforts of the National Eye Bank and other stakeholders towards corneal transplantation, awareness programs and making related services further accessible to the common public.

An annual report of the National Eye Bank, RP Centre for the year 2021-22 was released at the event. The report highlighted the crucial role played by the National Eye Bank (NEB) in addressing the issue of corneal blindness in the country. More than 31,500 corneas have been collected, over 22,350 visual rehabilitation through corneal transplantation and a greater than 70% utilization rate since 1965 has been achieved so far. NEB has also played a crucial role in promoting eye donation activities, corneal transplantation, educating and training the medical workforce, eye banking research, motivating the general public along with several other activities.

Dr Randeep Guleria, Director AIIMS, Prof Jeewan S Titiyal, Chief, RP Centre, Prof Radhika Tandon, Chairperson, National Eye Bank along with senior faculty of AIIMS, RP Centre, experts, representatives of supporting government organisations, partner institutions and NGOs/societies, school children and senior govt officials were present at the event.

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