₹15.3L for modernising Ayodhya hospital’s ophthalmology dept

Lucknow: Ayodhya’s combined hospital is set to enhance its ophthalmic services with the Uttar Pradesh government allocating Rs 15.31 lakh for the modernisation of the ophthalmology department at the 50-bedded facility. On Saturday, chief minister Yogi Adityanath issued relevant instructions to the director-general of health services, UP, along with necessary administrative and financial approvals, said the official spokesperson.

Officials also shared details of the fund allocation, stating that it would be utilised to acquire advanced equipment, including a slit lamp biomicroscope, non-contact tonometer, direct ophthalmoscope, operating microscope, Autorefractor Keratometer, A-scan biometer, dehumidifier, and a fogging machine. The responsibility for procuring the medical equipment and ensuring its installation in a timely and transparent manner has been delegated to the DG Medical and Health Services.

It is noteworthy that India has a significant population of blind individuals, with Uttar Pradesh contributing about 4 per cent to the global blind population of 45 million, translating to over 1.85 million people burdened by visual impairment. Alarmingly, over three lakh new individuals join this population annually. Significantly, the majority of cases of vision loss could have been prevented, as more than 90 per cent are caused by preventable factors such as cataract and refractive errors. Major causes of blindness include cataract (66.2 per cent ), corneal opacity (8.2 per cent ), cataract surgical complications (7.2 per cent ), posterior segment disorders (5.9 per cent ), and glaucoma (5.5 per cent ).