Resentment brewing among donors, blind people as Govt delays opening of Eye Bank

Govind Sharma
JAMMU, Oct 17: Over 70,000 corneal blind people and a large number of donors in Jammu region are feeling helpless and desperate due to inordinate delay in establishment of much needed Eye Bank in Government Medical College and Hospital, Jammu.
Sources said that the only Eye bank operating in the State was closed by the Government in the year 1994 and thereafter no serious attention was paid towards making this facility available in the State.
They asserted that huge population of blind people and those suffering from serious eye injuries have no medical facility in the State and they are being compelled to go outside the State at huge expenses.
“Though Right to Public Health and Medical Care has been held to be one of the facets of the Constitution of India yet this right is being denied to blind population of the State”, sources said, adding, in 2012 a PIL was filed in J&K High Court seeking opening of Eye Bank in the State following which process was started to establish two Eye Banks in the State, one at GMC Jammu and another at SMHS Hospital, Srinagar.
They said while Eye Bank was made operational in SMHS Hospital Srinagar in July this year and doctors there have started doing cornea transplants but the Eye Bank at GMC Jammu is still to be made operational due to non-serious approach adopted by the concerned authorities even after directions from State High Court in this regard.
“The non-availability of the Eye Bank facility in Jammu has been denying even the prospective donors of the opportunity to donate their eyes and blind people to see the world and live a happy life”, sources said, adding the nearest Eye Bank facility available for Jammuites is either PGI Chandigarh or SMHS Srinagar. However, these facilities cannot be availed as according to the standards of eye banking, cornea/eye should be removed as soon as possible after death and within six hours of the demise of the donor.
Principal, GMC Jammu, Dr Sunanda Raina, did not respond to the repeated phone calls. However, Head, Department of Ophthalmology, GMC Jammu, Dr Dinesh Gupta, when contacted, said that  prefab structure of Eye Bank like operation theatre, pre/post operative ward, changing rooms and doctors’ rooms has been constructed at 2nd floor in GMC Jammu and all other civil works like flooring, false ceiling, electrification and installation of ACs have been completed.
“Moreover, an ambulance (Force Traveller 3350mm ABS BS IV) meant for Eye Bank amounting to Rs 11 lakh has already been provided by Director, Health Services Jammu through State Health Transport Organization (SHTO) Nagrota under National Highways Accidental Relief Services Scheme (NHARSS)”, he said, adding, besides this, all communication equipments, library books and furniture items necessary for the establishment of the Eye Bank have been purchased.
On registration of Eye Bank, he said that about two months back Government constituted a State Level Authorization Committee comprising Director Health Services Jammu, Dr Gurjeet Singh, Prof and HoD, Department of Medicine, GMC Jammu, Dr Anil Mahajan and Prof and HoD, Department of Surgery, GMC Jammu, Dr Tariq Azad, for this purpose and they have applied for the registration of the Eye Bank.
Regarding creation of manpower, Dr Gupta said that the Administrative Department had been requested to issue necessary orders for the creation of requisite manpower for the Eye Bank and some of the staff including doctors have been appointed.
On purchase of necessary machinery and equipments for the Eye Bank, Dr Gupta said that they have already submitted a list of such equipments to J&K Medical Supplies Corporation Limited (JKMSCL) and most of these have been purchased by the Corporation while some others are under process.
He, however, didn’t give specific exact time-frame for making the Eye Bank functional in the Medical College.

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