Chennai: “Blindness is one of the major public health problem faced in developing countries like India. One among the five blind people in world are from India,” said Additional Director General of Police M N Manjunatha.
Inaugurating a human chain to raise awareness on eye donation as part of national eye donation fortnight in front of Dr Agarwal’s Eye Hospital, Cathedral Road on Monday, he said,”Individuals should come forward to pledge to donate their eyes and support this noble cause.”
The national eye donation fortnight is observed every year from 25 August to 8 September.
Speaking on the occasion, Dr Agarwal’s Group of Eye Hospitals chairman Dr Amar Agarwal said, “Around 46 lakh Indians are suffering from corneal blindness and approximately 11 lakh blind population are waiting for corneal transplantation. Even though one eye donation can give sight to two corneal blind persons, there is a huge gap between demand and supply of the eyes.”
“National eye donation fortnight is observed at all our Dr Agarwal’s Group of Eye Hospitals to bring the masses on a common platform to understand the importance of eye donation,” he said.
Around 500 members belonging to different age groups comprising college students, doctors and staff of Dr Agarwal Eye Hospital and the general public held placards at the human chain which created a mass public awareness about the importance of eye donation and generated eye donation pledges. Over 500 people pledged to donate eyes by signing and getting their donor cards, a press release said.