Inauguration of 38th National Eye Donation Awareness Fortnight
(Eye Donation Awareness Fortnight will be celebrated from 25 August to 8 September 2023)
Phagwara-Ludhiana August 25 (Ashok Sharma-Chetan Sharma) Punarjot Eye Bank Ludhiana launched the 38th National Eye Donation Awareness Fortnight at Dr. Ramesh Superspeciality Eye & Laser Centre, Ludhiana. This year, during the 38th awareness fortnight, under the leadership of Dr. Ramesh Ji, Director of Punarjot Eye Bank Society (Regd.), Ludhiana, Secretary Subhash Malik Ji and National and International Coordinator Mr. Ashok Mehra Ji, eye donation - campaign will be carried out vigorously in entire Punjab.During this, Punarjot teams visited Phagwara, Nawanshahar, Amritsar, Fazilka, Ferozepur, Mehatpur, Pathankot, Gurdaspur, Tapa Mandi,Moga,Barnala,Bathinda, Rampura Phool, Ludhiana, Banga, Malerkotla, Sangrur,Goraya,Jalandhar,Bareta,Jhuner, Raikot, Nakodar, Tarn Taran, Patti etc Seminars, road rallies will be organized in schools and colleges and people will be helped to take the pledge of eye donation. Punarjot will sensitize students in schools and colleges about eye donation so that they can tell at least 10 people in the society and family that eye donation can be done within 6 hours of death. Even today in India, one crore living eyes are burnt and cremated after death. While about 11 lakh blind people suffering from pupil disease always wait for some family to donate healthy eyes of their late relative to enable us to see the world. Our eyes can live even after death and give light to two blind people.The poster of eye donation duet song "Chaanan Bhar Diyange" was released during the inauguration program of National Eye Donation Awareness Fortnight. In this duet song of Dogana Jodi, people have been motivated towards organ donation in a very simple way. Therefore, an appeal was made to the listeners to spread this song to as many people as possible so that the general public can also be motivated towards organ donation through this song.Giving information, Dr. Ramesh, Ophthalmologist of Punarjot Eye Bank Society, said that Eye Donation Awareness Fortnight is celebrated every year from 25 August to 8 September in the whole country to make the general public aware of eye donation. He further said that Punarjot Eye Bank Society has been motivating people for eye donation for a long time and is making its valuable contribution in freeing the country from pupil blindness by conducting free pupil replacement operations. Only 1 cornea is available for every 70 cornea recipients worldwide. More than 11 lakh people need cornea transplant in India. To address this shortage of eye donors, a 3-tier community system has been proposed for India, and these are: Eye Donation Centres, Eye Banks and Eye Bank Training Centres. There has been a 52% drop in eye donation due to the Covid pandemic. Punarjot Eye Bank Ludhiana has so far performed around 5700 free corneal transplant operations.
National and International Coordinator Mr. Ashok Mehra appealed to the government to include the subject of blood donation, eye donation and organ donation along with other subjects in secondary classes and college education so that the youth can be made aware of blood donation, eye donation and organ donation.
Mr.Subhash Malik,Honorary Secretary, Punarjot Eye Bank Ludhiana said that during this fortnight camps and seminars will be organized by our organizations to create awareness about eye donation across Punjab and more and more people will be associated with this campaign.
On this occasion, Medical Superintendent of Dr.Ramesh Super Superspeciality Eye and Laser Center, Ludhiana, Dr. Parvesh ji said that a speech competition will be organized on the topic of eye donation to make school students aware of eye donation, so that the young generation will also join this campaign. Could
Dr.Akarsh Mehta MS (Ophthalmologist) appealed to the media, government, doctors, para-medical staff, religious leaders and social service organizations to involve more and more people in this campaign to eradicate blindness from the country.
