National Blindness Survey underway
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, May 20 2017: National Blindness Survey under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India has begun under Dr Rajendra Prasad Centre for Ophthalmic Sciences, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, (AIIMS), New Delhi.

The survey will be conducted in 30 different districts selected randomly from across the country in four years period 2015-2018 .

The Government of India conducts National wide Blindness Survey approximately for every 10 years.

For the first time, National Blindness Survey includes Manipur as well.

So far, survey in 19 districts of the country has been completed.

Thoubal district located in Manipur is the 20th district selected to conduct the survey.

The survey is being done in Manipur in partnership with Regional Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) Imphal and Directorate of Health Services, Government of Manipur.

A team of 18 members led by Dr Suraj Singh Senjam, Associate Professor, Department of Community Ophthalmology and Dr Noopur Gupta, Assistant Professor, Dr Rajendra Prasad Centre for Ophthalmic Sciences, AIIMS, New Delhi along with Dr Laishram Usharani, Assistant Professor, Department of Ophthalmology, Regional Institute of Medical Sciences, (RIMS) Imphal will be conducting the survey in Thoubal district.

The survey which started from May 18 will continue till May 28.The blindness survey will cover 50 different clusters or villages of Thoubal district.

From each village, 60 individuals who are 50 years and above will be screened and examined.

Therefore, a total of 3000 (three thousand) individuals will be covered in the survey.

The primary purpose of the survey is to estimate the magnitude of blindness and visual impairment amongst people who are 50 years as people belonging to this age group are more likely to suffer from blindness.

The survey will also help to identify various of causes of blindness and visual impairment.

Based on the results of the survey, the Centre will plan various eye care programmes to prevent blindness and visual impairment.

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