Nat'l Eye Awareness: College staff, students take out rally

CHENGALPATTU: An awareness rally to commemorate the closing of the two-week long National Eye Awareness programme was held at Chengalpattu on Wednesday.

The national-level awareness programme is observed annually for a two-week period from August 25 to September 8.

To celebrate this year’s 37th National Eye Awareness fortnight, the Vision Loss Prevention Society of Chengalpattu conducted various awareness programmes with the guidance of District Collector Rahulnath.

Following this, an awareness seminar was conducted at Chengalpattu Medical College Hospital on Wednesday in which medical department officials, hospital officials, doctors, nursing supervisors, professors, assistant professors, postgraduate medical graduates, more than 200 nursing and medical students participated.

The society has conducted several awareness programmes in all primary health centres, district government hospitals, taluk hospitals and government medical college hospitals in Chengalpattu district. The arrangements for the rally and seminar were made by Geetha, District Project Manager, Chengalpattu District Vision Loss Prevention Society. Speaking at the function, Geetha said, “Millions of people in India are blind due to corneal damage. To fix it, the general public should be aware of preventive measures and consent to donate their eyes after death,” she said.

They can register to give consent for eye donation at the Ophthalmology Unit running in the nearest government hospital or through the website. The officials at the society requested the public to take a pledge to create awareness about eye donation among their family and friends.