theme of the issue: marching into 12th five year plan … underprivileged and delivery of the...

Chief Advisor: Dr. Jagdish Prasad, Director General of Health Services, Editorial Board: Dr. N.K. Agarwal, Deputy Director General (O) & Ms. Sujaya Krishnan, Joint Secretary (NPCB), Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Dr. A.S. Rathore, Additional Deputy Director General (O), Ms. Gayatri Mishra, Director (NCD), Dr. V. K. Tewari, Health Education Officer (NPCB), Dr. V. Rajshekhar, Eye Specialist, Safdarjung Hospital/MOHFW, Dr. Suman, Temporary Professional (NPCB) and Shri Sanjay Pant, Under Secretary (NCD).

NPCB-India is a quarterly newsletter of the National Programme for Control of Blindness. For further information contact or write: Dr. V. K. Tewari, Health Education Officer, 342-B, A Wing, Nirman Bhawan, New Delhi-110 108. Telefax: 011-23063875 Email: [email protected] This is also available on our website: www.npcb.nic.in

Designed & Printed by: ESSENCE ADVERTISING SERVICES, 45, 1st Floor, Corner Market, Malviya Nagar, New Delhi-110 017 (Quantity of Newsletter: 10,000 nos.)QUARTERLY

INDIANPCBNPCBNPCBNPCB

QUARTERLY July - September 2012

Theme of the Issue: Marching into 12th Five Year Plan

INBOX FEEDBACK / RESPONSE“Eye Donation” article was very informative. Kindly publish a article a Role of Eye Banking Manager in eye donation centre on Eye Bank in detail and the records he or she should maintain.

S. S. Venkateshwar,C/o. C.A.R.I. Junction Road, Bhatu Basthi,

South Andaman, A & N Island-744105. Email: [email protected]

The material in the quarterly newsletter is prepared meticulously and is informative not only to the community but also to practitioners.

Dr. Suresh Chandra Pant, Sr. Eye Surgeon (Joint Director),

S.S. Jina Base Hospital, Haldwani (Nainital), Uttarakhand.Email: [email protected]

Excellent service in giving vision to millions of people. If there is no NPCB the country is unimaginable.

Dr. A. Raghava Charyulu, 19-7-87/S2, Gopala Raju Colony, R.C. Road, TIRUPATI,

Chittoor (D.T.), Andhra PradeshEmail: vemanayogi@yahoomail

Dear Sir, I received this issue on Corneal Blindness thru c surgeon, Sonepat. I work as an Eye surgeon at Govt hospital, Sonepat. I found this issue informative. May I request you to send NPCB newsletter at my address.

Dr. N.K. Batra,191-L, Model Town, Sonepat-131001, India

Email: [email protected]

From Editor's Desk History of NPCB

India was the first country in the world to launch a 100% centrally sponsored programme for

the control of blindness. The programme was started by the Union Ministry of Health on 30th

March 1963 as a Trachoma Control Programme, which was later on subsumed into the

National Programme for Control of Blindness (NPCB). National Programme for control of

Visual Impairment and Blindness was launched in the year 1976 as 100% centrally sponsored

scheme. Later on it was renamed as National Programme for control of Blindness (NPCB).

Since blindness is not just a simple disability affecting the person directly but also has

consequences on the national GDP, which is often neglected or overlooked, it needs to be

tackled through a three-pronged strategy of prevention, intervention and rehabilitation.

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) had approved a budget of 1250 core for

11th five year (2007-2012) plan for NPCB confirming the high level of health care commitment

that MoHFW accorded to blindness control activities in the country. The NPCB is striving hard

to strengthen the Govt. health Institutions, assist NGOs engaged in blindness control services,

and enhance the capacity of health staff involved in delivery of eye care services to the

community as well as provide training to keep them abreast with the advancements in eye care

delivery. During 11th five year plan, a lot of planning had been done with revised targets for

cataract, school eye screening, eye banking, treatment of other eye diseases and infrastructural

and human resource development. Salient features of 11th five year plan, targets and

achievements are as given below in Table. National Programme for Control of Blindness is

expecting enhanced funding for the 12th five year plan as challenges of reaching the unreached

& underprivileged and delivery of the quality eye care services will remain the focus area of

12th five year plan. As we are approaching towards 12th five year plan, we need to analyze

programmes achievement against targets allocated. This will help programme managers in

better planning and implementation of the programme in 12th five year plan.

Institute 2007-08 2008-09 2009-10 2010-11 2011-12 Total

Medical College 40 28 44 2 12 126

Eye Bank 10 16 11 15 30 82

Eye Donation Centre 27 68 20 31 31 177

Eye Wards/OT 0 10 10 06 18 44

Vision centres 378 377 425 387 726 2293

Tele-Ophthalmology Unit 0 10 07 3 7 27

NGO supported 10 13 7 8 15 53

22 NATIONAL PROGRAMME FOR CONTROL OF BLINDNESS IN INDIANATIONAL PROGRAMME FOR CONTROL OF BLINDNESS IN INDIA 7NPCB INDIA NEWSLETTER, JULY - SEPTEMBER 2012

(Rs. in crore)Budget Allocation and expenditure:

Year Budget allocated (BE/FE) Expenditure

2007-08 171.87 164.95

2008-09 250.00 249.50

2009-10 250.00 252.90

2010-11 260.00 (FE-202.58) 202.41

2011-12 222.00 222.00

NPCB has been achieving targets allocated every year. During the year 2011-12, NPCB

partners namely RIOs, Medical Colleges, District Hospitals, Sub-District Hospitals and NGOs

reportedly performed 63,49,205 surgeries with 95% IOL implantation. In addition to the

quantum of surgeries, NPCB has been stressing on quality aspects all through. Quality of

surgery performed has been the concern area for NPCB. Still a few instances of mass post-

operative eye infection were reported during the past five years from different parts of

country.

The table given below shows the no. of cataract surgeries done against the target given and

the number of eyes affected by post-operative infection:

Year Target Cataract % Surgery Mishaps Total no.

operations with IOL of person

performed affected

under NPCB*

2007-08 50,00,000 54,04,406 94 2 5+12=17

2008-09 60,00,000 58,10,336 94 4 29+11+20+23=83

2009-10 60,00,000 58,10,684 95 1 16

2010-11 60,00,000 60,31,678 95 1 18

2011-12 70,00,000 63,49,205 95 1 46

Total 3,00,00,000 2,94,06,309 95% 9 180

* These cataract operations have been performed by all NPCB partners i.e. RIO, Medical Colleges, District

Hospitals, Sub-District Hospitals, NGOs, Private Eye Hospitals and Private Eye Surgeons. NPCB sponsors a

substantial part of these cataract operations which exceeds 50%.

Maximum no. of mishaps had been reported in 2008-09 year affecting total 83 patients in four eye

camps. However when we look at these figures against the total no. of cataract surgery performed

(2,94,06,309), the percentage of mass infection cases reported comes out to be extremely low. In

the NPCB newsletter for the quarter Oct-Dec, 2011 titled Quality aspects of cataract operations

(available at NPCB website i.e. ) an ideal OT layout as well as guidelines to be

followed were published. These were agreed upon and highly appreciated by eye surgeons from all

over India. NPCB has instructed State Programme Officers (SPOs) and District Programme

Managers (DPMs) that they are not to overlook any of the universal precautions specially those

pertaining to intraocular surgery in their zeal to achieve the given targets.

Achievements & Issues against targets allocated

1. Cataract surgeries:

www.npcb.nic.in

NPCB activities in the quarter (July –September, 2012):

! Sentinel Surveillance Units review meeting was conducted on 13th July, 2012 after a gap of

two years. In the meeting it was decided that SSU should monitor the cataract operations

performed by NGOs. Conduction of multi-centric operational research and more productive

involvement of SSUs in the NPCB were considered.

! Special campaigns for mass awareness were undertaken during Eye Donation Fortnight (25th

August to 8th September 2012) at centre and state level. To make community aware about eye

donation SMSs were also sent throughout the country. Report of the activity along with

photographs was received from the following centres:

— Kozhikode, Kerala

— Patel Eye Bank, S.P. Medical College Bikaner

— State Health Society, Uttarakhand

— Meerut Eye Bank Society, Lala Lajpat Rai Memorial Medical college, Meerut, Uttar

Pradesh

— State Health Society, Manipur

— District Health Society & Govt. regional hospital, Kurnool, Andhra Pradesh

— Advanced Eye Centre, PGIMER, Chandigarh

! Annual review meeting of NPCB with State programme Officers was held on 27 and 28th

Sept. 2012 as a part of review of the programme at the central level. In this meeting

achievements of the NPCB under 11th plan was assessed. Issues and challenges concerning

states were discussed and steps to improve the NPCB working for better achievement of

targets ahead were also discussed.

3NPCB INDIA NEWSLETTER, JULY - SEPTEMBER 2012

During 11th five year plan the stress was on technology up gradation which

includes:

! Providing good screening and diagnostic tools and equipments

! Dedicated OPD, Eye Ward and Eye OT Units

! Fully trained surgical team

! Modern surgical tools and intra-operative patient care apparatus

! Full asepsis at all levels to prevent post operative infection

! High quality pre-sterilized drugs and surgical consumables

! High quality post operative Eye & General care

NPCB had supported trainings in 11 disciplines of ophthalmology for sponsored candidates from all over

the nation.

Testing of vision at school age is crucial because this is the age when foundation of any child’s future is

being laid. Visual health is essential for good quality of life, and desirable economic productivity. A two

days training is being imparted under NPCB, to the school teachers for screening of children suffering

from refractive errors. School teachers do the eye screening for refractive errors and then affected

children are referred to the nearest vision centre/PHC/CHC/District Hospital for accurate prescription

of the spectacle glasses. The list of students requiring spectacle along with their prescriptions is shared

with District Programme Manager and all efforts are made to provide free spectacles to the needy

children at the earliest. Children with other eye diseases like squint, cataract etc when detected are

referred to the nearest sub district or district hospital for further treatment. The SPO of each state

must ask all the DPMs to ensure that school eye screening is conducted in maximum number of

schools in their respective districts and free spectacles are given to needy children as per NPCB norms.

NPCB provides a recurring grant in aid of Rs. 200 for providing free spectacles to the Below Poverty

Line (BPL) throughout the country through the state health

societies. Coordination between Sarva Siksha Abhiyan (SSA)

Programme and NPCB is needed to avoid duplication and to

maximize the benefit as SSA also dispenses free spectacles to the

children. Quality of dispensed spectacle lenses and timely

distribution to the needy children is of utmost concern and timely

delivery must be ensured by SPO/DPM. Every year, the number of

spectacles provided to the school children meets the target

allocated. This can be easily made out by the table given below.

Visual Acuity estimation charts for school children were printed

and distributed throughout the country with the help of SPOs.

The Idea is to create awareness amongst children so that they are

fully aware of their visual needs, deficiencies if any and ways to

overcome them.

School Eye Screening Programme:

Year No. of free spectacles provided to school age group

children with refractive errors

Target Achievement

2007-08 3,00,000 5,12,020

2008-09 3,00,000 4,94,484

2009-10 4,73,472 5,05,843

2010-11 6,00,000 5,48,611

2011-12 6,00,000 6,58,061

2. School Eye Screening Programme

6 NATIONAL PROGRAMME FOR CONTROL OF BLINDNESS IN INDIA

New Initiatives in 12th five year plan

! It has been realized that the needs of persons in the age group of 40 years and above for sharp

near vision is also of utmost importance both for women and men. Therefore, NPCB has

proposed that needy persons suffering from presbyopia be provided free glasses to enable them

to perform near work like reading printed material, cooking and other essential daily routine

activities.

! During the month of June each year when majority of schools in India observe summer vacation,

it has been proposed to observe Eye testing fortnight, to urge parents to take their children to

the nearest eye testing facility like Sub-District Hospital, District Hospital, Medical College

hospital, which may not be otherwise possible due to lack of sufficient spare time on the part of

children. Perfect prescription of spectacles is of utmost importance for every child to excel in

studies. Spectacles may later on be procured from the NPCB through DPM or SSA.

! It has been proposed to introduce a multipurpose mobile ophthalmic unit in all districts for entire

country to reach the remote areas not covered by existing facilities and to be involved in all the

following activities:

— Screening eye camp

— School eye screening

— Transporting patients for treatment

— On the spot refraction and provision of spectacles

— Diagnosis of diseases like diabetic retinopathy, glaucoma etc.

— Display of IEC NPCB messages on its outer panels

— Monitoring of NPCB activities by DPMs

! Many of the eye banks opened earlier have become defunct due to lack of initiative, inability to

collect the required no. of corneas and interaction with the State Programme Officer as well as

Central cell of NPCB. To revitalize these eye banks we need to rekindle the desire in the hearts of

the organizers and also to provide the requisite know how, so that they become active again.

Although the zonal eye bank committees do exist but it is not clear how often do they meet and

whether they take up the issue of helping each other in the matter of enhancing eye donation in

their respective territories. A new list of all existing eye banks and those that are active (collecting

cornea >50) is being prepared so as to know the exact quantum of work performed by existing

eye banks and to urge them to perform better in the forthcoming year.

! The Hospital Cornea Retrieval Programme (HRCP) needs to be implemented more zealously in

each and every big city of India. A clause of inclusion of mandatory required request for eye

donation from next of the kin of the deceased in the cause of death certificate issued by hospitals

has been circulated to the Medical Superintendants of big hospitals in Delhi and across the

country during 2011 and needs to be firmly put into practice.

5

3. Eye Banking:

Management of corneal blindness all through the country is one of the foremost issues of National

Programme for Control of Blindness (NPCB). The two major components for dealing with the problem

of corneal blindness are prevention of fresh corneal blindness and elimination of the already existing

corneal blindness. Eye banking is one of the three major activities of NPCB. This is the field where a lot

more needs to be done. NPCB partners reportedly collects about 50,000 corneas in all the states put

together but still falls short of targets/ requirement of about 1.20 lakh corneas to wipe out the backlog

of corneal blindness. Since corneal collection is much below our national requirement, we need to adopt

social practices and techniques that will enhance the corneal collection and utilization. To enhance eye

collection every year NPCB celebrates Eye donation fortnight and world sight day. Along with these,

various other IEC activities that involve TV and Radio Programmes, display of posters and distribution of

pamphlets, rallies involving school children etc are being undertaken and sponsored by NPCB from time

to time. Major lacunae observed leading to poor eye banking and intended to be tackled in the 12th five

year plan are as follows:

! Lack of availability of adequate number of Eye Donation Counselors due to low remuneration leading to

unmotivated staff, hence non achievement of targets. Enhancement in salary and proper training of Eye

donation counselors has been proposed in 12th five year plan.

! Formal training to the Eye Donation Counselor in performing the task (counseling) that needs empathy,

patience, and ability to convey ones thoughts in a convincing manner to the relatives of the deceased, is

a very crucial factor for eye donation. In the absence of formal training to Eye Donation Counselor,

he/she may not able to do justice to the job assigned. Eye Donation Counselors should be technically

and psychologically well trained so that they are able to convince the next of kin of the deceased to

agree for eye donation. Eye Bank Association of India (EBAI) has worked out a one year training course

for Eye donation counselors.

! Integration and networking of eye banks all over the country for maximal utilization of donor tissue, to

know exact number of patients waiting for corneal transplantation, to avoid multiple registrations by the

patients and judicious use of donor material, integration of Eye Banks is the need of the day. Additionally

creation of corneal blind person’s internet directory should be given the utmost priority by all the eye

banks.

! Availability of high quality storage medium: We need to ensure that corneal tissue collected is

preserved well and therefore each and every eye bank should have a ready stock of the preservation

medium i.e. M.K. medium and may be Optisol (new medium). NPCB assures availability of high quality

storage media and encourages research in the same field. Dr. R.P. Eye Centre, AIIMS, new Delhi under

NPCB sponsored project provides it free of cost to all the eye banks with a demand for the same.

! Through various communication media, NPCB has been spreading awareness amongst general

population as well as health personnel, that for better utilization of collected cornea, the eye should be

collected within 2-6 hrs of the death of the diseased.

! NPCB is providing non recurring assistance of Rs. 15 lakhs to the selected eye bank for its up-gradation

and procurement of necessary equipments.

! It is of paramount importance that we know the presence of all corneal transplantation surgeons

in each and every big or small city of India to know about our current availability of corneal

transplantation surgeons. NPCB train eye surgeons in the field of eye banking and keratoplasty to keep

them abreast with the advancements in this field. Refer to page 72-73 of NPCB guidelines for State and

district Health society on NPCB website www.npcb.nic.in for more detailed information.

! NPCB provides incentives to private eye surgeons/ NGOs for rendering free services in treating poor

patients as far as keratoplasty is concerned. Enhancement in GIA has been proposed for 12th five year

plan.


4. Status of Implementation of 11th plan new initiatives like treatment

of other eye diseases, construction of dedicated eye ward and eye OT

etc.

! It has been realized that new life style associated diseases like Diabetes, Glaucoma, ROP are

increasing and needs to addressed, and hence scheme for treatment of other eye diseases was

initiated under new initiatives in 11th five year plan. However this has not been advertized and

implemented very effectively at the state level throughout the country. To promote and

maximize the benefit of scheme for the general community, recurring grant in aid for treatment

of other eye diseases which includes diabetic retinopathy, glaucoma management, laser

techniques and corneal transplantation, vitreo retinal surgeries and treatment of childhood

blindness has been proposed to be increased substantially in 12th five year plan from the

current rate of Rs. 1000/ case.

! Each DPM has to explore and advertize the names/ addresses of the ophthalmologists treating

Diabetic retinopathy, Glaucoma. Squint, retinopathy of prematurity, congenital cataract, low

vision, keratoplasty etc. so that a person suffering from any of these eye diseases is guided

properly to approach the concerned ophthalmologist.

! Issue of non appointment of contractual staff has been addressed in 12th five year plan and

their number shall be almost doubled.

! Many North Eastern states have constructed dedicated eye wards and OTs and in other NE

states process is still going on due to difficulties faced by SPOs as the districts were

surrounded by hilly terrain/ remote area with difficult approach.

! Human resource deployment and training: Health personal play a key role in the

implementation of any health programme including NPCB. To cover the deficient staff,

employment of Ophthalmic Surgeon, Ophthalmic Assistant and Eye donation counselor was

included under new initiatives under 11th five year plan. MOHFW has recently substantially

increased the number of MS /DNB seats in the medical Colleges. Financial support for training

of approximately 400-500 eye surgeons in different super-specialties (ECCE/IOL Implantation,

SICS, Phaco Emulsification, Diagnosis and Management of Glaucoma, Eye Banking and Corneal

Transplantation, Oculoplasty, Strabismus (Diagnosis Management both Medical and Surgical),

Low Vision, Pediatric Ophthalmology, Indirect Ophthalmoscpy & Laser Technique and Medical

Retina & Vitreoretinal Surgery) is being provided by NPCB. NPCB allocates an amount up to

Rs. 70,000 per candidate for this purpose which includes training material for the trainee,

expenses of lodging / boarding and TA/DA. Details of training provided year wise are as given

below:

Training of Eye Surgeons:

Year Target No. of eye surgeons trained

2007-08 400 300

2008-09 400 450

2009-10 400 400

2010-11 400 350

2011-12 400 350

NPCB INDIA NEWSLETTER, JULY - SEPTEMBER 2012

3NPCB INDIA NEWSLETTER, JULY - SEPTEMBER 2012

During 11th five year plan the stress was on technology up gradation which

includes:

! Providing good screening and diagnostic tools and equipments

! Dedicated OPD, Eye Ward and Eye OT Units

! Fully trained surgical team

! Modern surgical tools and intra-operative patient care apparatus

! Full asepsis at all levels to prevent post operative infection

! High quality pre-sterilized drugs and surgical consumables

! High quality post operative Eye & General care

NPCB had supported trainings in 11 disciplines of ophthalmology for sponsored candidates from all over

the nation.

Testing of vision at school age is crucial because this is the age when foundation of any child’s future is

being laid. Visual health is essential for good quality of life, and desirable economic productivity. A two

days training is being imparted under NPCB, to the school teachers for screening of children suffering

from refractive errors. School teachers do the eye screening for refractive errors and then affected

children are referred to the nearest vision centre/PHC/CHC/District Hospital for accurate prescription

of the spectacle glasses. The list of students requiring spectacle along with their prescriptions is shared

with District Programme Manager and all efforts are made to provide free spectacles to the needy

children at the earliest. Children with other eye diseases like squint, cataract etc when detected are

referred to the nearest sub district or district hospital for further treatment. The SPO of each state

must ask all the DPMs to ensure that school eye screening is conducted in maximum number of

schools in their respective districts and free spectacles are given to needy children as per NPCB norms.

NPCB provides a recurring grant in aid of Rs. 200 for providing free spectacles to the Below Poverty

Line (BPL) throughout the country through the state health

societies. Coordination between Sarva Siksha Abhiyan (SSA)

Programme and NPCB is needed to avoid duplication and to

maximize the benefit as SSA also dispenses free spectacles to the

children. Quality of dispensed spectacle lenses and timely

distribution to the needy children is of utmost concern and timely

delivery must be ensured by SPO/DPM. Every year, the number of

spectacles provided to the school children meets the target

allocated. This can be easily made out by the table given below.

Visual Acuity estimation charts for school children were printed

and distributed throughout the country with the help of SPOs.

The Idea is to create awareness amongst children so that they are

fully aware of their visual needs, deficiencies if any and ways to

overcome them.

School Eye Screening Programme:

Year No. of free spectacles provided to school age group

children with refractive errors

Target Achievement

2007-08 3,00,000 5,12,020

2008-09 3,00,000 4,94,484

2009-10 4,73,472 5,05,843

2010-11 6,00,000 5,48,611

2011-12 6,00,000 6,58,061

2. School Eye Screening Programme


New Initiatives in 12th five year plan

! It has been realized that the needs of persons in the age group of 40 years and above for sharp

near vision is also of utmost importance both for women and men. Therefore, NPCB has

proposed that needy persons suffering from presbyopia be provided free glasses to enable them

to perform near work like reading printed material, cooking and other essential daily routine

activities.

! During the month of June each year when majority of schools in India observe summer vacation,

it has been proposed to observe Eye testing fortnight, to urge parents to take their children to

the nearest eye testing facility like Sub-District Hospital, District Hospital, Medical College

hospital, which may not be otherwise possible due to lack of sufficient spare time on the part of

children. Perfect prescription of spectacles is of utmost importance for every child to excel in

studies. Spectacles may later on be procured from the NPCB through DPM or SSA.

! It has been proposed to introduce a multipurpose mobile ophthalmic unit in all districts for entire

country to reach the remote areas not covered by existing facilities and to be involved in all the

following activities:

— Screening eye camp

— School eye screening

— Transporting patients for treatment

— On the spot refraction and provision of spectacles

— Diagnosis of diseases like diabetic retinopathy, glaucoma etc.

— Display of IEC NPCB messages on its outer panels

— Monitoring of NPCB activities by DPMs

! Many of the eye banks opened earlier have become defunct due to lack of initiative, inability to

collect the required no. of corneas and interaction with the State Programme Officer as well as

Central cell of NPCB. To revitalize these eye banks we need to rekindle the desire in the hearts of

the organizers and also to provide the requisite know how, so that they become active again.

Although the zonal eye bank committees do exist but it is not clear how often do they meet and

whether they take up the issue of helping each other in the matter of enhancing eye donation in

their respective territories. A new list of all existing eye banks and those that are active (collecting

cornea >50) is being prepared so as to know the exact quantum of work performed by existing

eye banks and to urge them to perform better in the forthcoming year.

! The Hospital Cornea Retrieval Programme (HRCP) needs to be implemented more zealously in

each and every big city of India. A clause of inclusion of mandatory required request for eye

donation from next of the kin of the deceased in the cause of death certificate issued by hospitals

has been circulated to the Medical Superintendants of big hospitals in Delhi and across the

country during 2011 and needs to be firmly put into practice.

22 NATIONAL PROGRAMME FOR CONTROL OF BLINDNESS IN INDIANATIONAL PROGRAMME FOR CONTROL OF BLINDNESS IN INDIA 7NPCB INDIA NEWSLETTER, JULY - SEPTEMBER 2012

(Rs. in crore)Budget Allocation and expenditure:

Year Budget allocated (BE/FE) Expenditure

2007-08 171.87 164.95

2008-09 250.00 249.50

2009-10 250.00 252.90

2010-11 260.00 (FE-202.58) 202.41

2011-12 222.00 222.00

NPCB has been achieving targets allocated every year. During the year 2011-12, NPCB

partners namely RIOs, Medical Colleges, District Hospitals, Sub-District Hospitals and NGOs

reportedly performed 63,49,205 surgeries with 95% IOL implantation. In addition to the

quantum of surgeries, NPCB has been stressing on quality aspects all through. Quality of

surgery performed has been the concern area for NPCB. Still a few instances of mass post-

operative eye infection were reported during the past five years from different parts of

country.

The table given below shows the no. of cataract surgeries done against the target given and

the number of eyes affected by post-operative infection:

Year Target Cataract % Surgery Mishaps Total no.

operations with IOL of person

performed affected

under NPCB*

2007-08 50,00,000 54,04,406 94 2 5+12=17

2008-09 60,00,000 58,10,336 94 4 29+11+20+23=83

2009-10 60,00,000 58,10,684 95 1 16

2010-11 60,00,000 60,31,678 95 1 18

2011-12 70,00,000 63,49,205 95 1 46

Total 3,00,00,000 2,94,06,309 95% 9 180

* These cataract operations have been performed by all NPCB partners i.e. RIO, Medical Colleges, District

Hospitals, Sub-District Hospitals, NGOs, Private Eye Hospitals and Private Eye Surgeons. NPCB sponsors a

substantial part of these cataract operations which exceeds 50%.

Maximum no. of mishaps had been reported in 2008-09 year affecting total 83 patients in four eye

camps. However when we look at these figures against the total no. of cataract surgery performed

(2,94,06,309), the percentage of mass infection cases reported comes out to be extremely low. In

the NPCB newsletter for the quarter Oct-Dec, 2011 titled Quality aspects of cataract operations

(available at NPCB website i.e. ) an ideal OT layout as well as guidelines to be

followed were published. These were agreed upon and highly appreciated by eye surgeons from all

over India. NPCB has instructed State Programme Officers (SPOs) and District Programme

Managers (DPMs) that they are not to overlook any of the universal precautions specially those

pertaining to intraocular surgery in their zeal to achieve the given targets.

Achievements & Issues against targets allocated

1. Cataract surgeries:

www.npcb.nic.in

NPCB activities in the quarter (July –September, 2012):

! Sentinel Surveillance Units review meeting was conducted on 13th July, 2012 after a gap of

two years. In the meeting it was decided that SSU should monitor the cataract operations

performed by NGOs. Conduction of multi-centric operational research and more productive

involvement of SSUs in the NPCB were considered.

! Special campaigns for mass awareness were undertaken during Eye Donation Fortnight (25th

August to 8th September 2012) at centre and state level. To make community aware about eye

donation SMSs were also sent throughout the country. Report of the activity along with

photographs was received from the following centres:

— Kozhikode, Kerala

— Patel Eye Bank, S.P. Medical College Bikaner

— State Health Society, Uttarakhand

— Meerut Eye Bank Society, Lala Lajpat Rai Memorial Medical college, Meerut, Uttar

Pradesh

— State Health Society, Manipur

— District Health Society & Govt. regional hospital, Kurnool, Andhra Pradesh

— Advanced Eye Centre, PGIMER, Chandigarh

! Annual review meeting of NPCB with State programme Officers was held on 27 and 28th

Sept. 2012 as a part of review of the programme at the central level. In this meeting

achievements of the NPCB under 11th plan was assessed. Issues and challenges concerning

states were discussed and steps to improve the NPCB working for better achievement of

targets ahead were also discussed.

Chief Advisor: Dr. Jagdish Prasad, Director General of Health Services, Editorial Board: Dr. N.K. Agarwal, Deputy Director General (O) & Ms. Sujaya Krishnan, Joint Secretary (NPCB), Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Dr. A.S. Rathore, Additional Deputy Director General (O), Ms. Gayatri Mishra, Director (NCD), Dr. V. K. Tewari, Health Education Officer (NPCB), Dr. V. Rajshekhar, Eye Specialist, Safdarjung Hospital/MOHFW, Dr. Suman, Temporary Professional (NPCB) and Shri Sanjay Pant, Under Secretary (NCD).

NPCB-India is a quarterly newsletter of the National Programme for Control of Blindness. For further information contact or write: Dr. V. K. Tewari, Health Education Officer, 342-B, A Wing, Nirman Bhawan, New Delhi-110 108. Telefax: 011-23063875 Email: [email protected] This is also available on our website: www.npcb.nic.in

Designed & Printed by: ESSENCE ADVERTISING SERVICES, 45, 1st Floor, Corner Market, Malviya Nagar, New Delhi-110 017 (Quantity of Newsletter: 10,000 nos.)QUARTERLY

INDIANPCBNPCBNPCBNPCB

QUARTERLY July - September 2012

Theme of the Issue: Marching into 12th Five Year Plan

INBOX FEEDBACK / RESPONSE“Eye Donation” article was very informative. Kindly publish a article a Role of Eye Banking Manager in eye donation centre on Eye Bank in detail and the records he or she should maintain.

S. S. Venkateshwar,C/o. C.A.R.I. Junction Road, Bhatu Basthi,

South Andaman, A & N Island-744105. Email: [email protected]

The material in the quarterly newsletter is prepared meticulously and is informative not only to the community but also to practitioners.

Dr. Suresh Chandra Pant, Sr. Eye Surgeon (Joint Director),

S.S. Jina Base Hospital, Haldwani (Nainital), Uttarakhand.Email: [email protected]

Excellent service in giving vision to millions of people. If there is no NPCB the country is unimaginable.

Dr. A. Raghava Charyulu, 19-7-87/S2, Gopala Raju Colony, R.C. Road, TIRUPATI,

Chittoor (D.T.), Andhra PradeshEmail: vemanayogi@yahoomail

Dear Sir, I received this issue on Corneal Blindness thru c surgeon, Sonepat. I work as an Eye surgeon at Govt hospital, Sonepat. I found this issue informative. May I request you to send NPCB newsletter at my address.

Dr. N.K. Batra,191-L, Model Town, Sonepat-131001, India

Email: [email protected]

From Editor's Desk History of NPCB

India was the first country in the world to launch a 100% centrally sponsored programme for

the control of blindness. The programme was started by the Union Ministry of Health on 30th

March 1963 as a Trachoma Control Programme, which was later on subsumed into the

National Programme for Control of Blindness (NPCB). National Programme for control of

Visual Impairment and Blindness was launched in the year 1976 as 100% centrally sponsored

scheme. Later on it was renamed as National Programme for control of Blindness (NPCB).

Since blindness is not just a simple disability affecting the person directly but also has

consequences on the national GDP, which is often neglected or overlooked, it needs to be

tackled through a three-pronged strategy of prevention, intervention and rehabilitation.

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) had approved a budget of 1250 core for

11th five year (2007-2012) plan for NPCB confirming the high level of health care commitment

that MoHFW accorded to blindness control activities in the country. The NPCB is striving hard

to strengthen the Govt. health Institutions, assist NGOs engaged in blindness control services,

and enhance the capacity of health staff involved in delivery of eye care services to the

community as well as provide training to keep them abreast with the advancements in eye care

delivery. During 11th five year plan, a lot of planning had been done with revised targets for

cataract, school eye screening, eye banking, treatment of other eye diseases and infrastructural

and human resource development. Salient features of 11th five year plan, targets and

achievements are as given below in Table. National Programme for Control of Blindness is

expecting enhanced funding for the 12th five year plan as challenges of reaching the unreached

& underprivileged and delivery of the quality eye care services will remain the focus area of

12th five year plan. As we are approaching towards 12th five year plan, we need to analyze

programmes achievement against targets allocated. This will help programme managers in

better planning and implementation of the programme in 12th five year plan.

Institute 2007-08 2008-09 2009-10 2010-11 2011-12 Total

Medical College 40 28 44 2 12 126

Eye Bank 10 16 11 15 30 82

Eye Donation Centre 27 68 20 31 31 177

Eye Wards/OT 0 10 10 06 18 44

Vision centres 378 377 425 387 726 2293

Tele-Ophthalmology Unit 0 10 07 3 7 27

NGO supported 10 13 7 8 15 53

theme of the issue: marching into 12th five year plan … underprivileged and delivery of the...

Documents