Gujarat CM launches state-wide drive against Cataract-induced Blindness

Gandhinagar: Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel today launched a drive to make Gujarat free from cataract and cataract induced blindness. The Chief Minister said, the State had 0.7 per cent blindness cases in 2014 that went down to 0.36 per cent in 2018-19. He said the State has set a target to further bring down the percentage to 0.25 by year 2025.

He said, the State health department has facilitated al district and taluka level hospitals with infrastructure and latest equipment for treatment of cataract. He said the State is leading with over 1,000 cataract operations per million population. he said the State government facilitated free of cost operations through Phacoemulsification that would otherwise cost Rs. 10 to 50,000 in private hospitals. He added that in the entire nation, Gujarat is the only state that offers free of cost hydrophobic intra ocular lenses.

Under the special drive launched by the government today, the teams will search out those who are blind due to cataract and those who have less than 3 meter vision in both eyes, in attempt to free them from blindness. DeshGujarat