National Program for Control of Blindness in Gujarat

1
National Program for Control of Blindness in
Gujarat

• India was the first country to launch a National
  Program for Control of Blindness in 1976.
• State Government of Gujarat started
  implementation of this programme in 1978.
• To bring more intensity in the programme
  Government of Gujarat has launched Drashtry
  Programme on 26th Jan. 96.
• Gujarat is committed to reduce the burden of
  avoidable blindness by the year 2020 by adopting
  strategies advocate for VISION 2020.

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Goal

• To provide high quality of Eye care to the
  affected population.
• To expand coverage of eye care services to the
  underserved areas.
• To reduce the backlog of blindness by identifying
  and providing services to the affected
  population.
• To develop institutional capacity for eye care.
• Services by providing support for equipment
  material and training personnel.

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ACTIVITIES UNDER NPCB

• Cataract Surgery.
• School Eye Screening Programme.
• Eye Banking.
• Co-ordination with NGO and Private Sector.
• Preparation of Village Blind Register.
• IEC activities.
• Training of Ophthalmic Surgeon, Ophthalmic
  Assistant, Medical Officers and Paramedical
  workers.

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CATARACT

• Gujarat has achieved more than 100 of cataract
  surgery since 1997-98.
• During the decade of eighties, the total cataract
  operations being performed in Gujarat State were
  only 75000 to 100000 per year. Now it has
  increase to 600000.
• Gujarat is also achieving the highest Cataract
  Surgery Rate (CSR) per lack population
  consistently for the last seven years.
• The CSR has been increase from 383 / lac
  population in 1994 - 95 to 1150 in the year
  2006-07.

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Trend of Cataract Surgery During 2002-03 to
2006-07
6
District wise Cataract Surgery Trend During
2006-07
7
Year wise Cataract Surgery Rate (CSR) Per lac
population
8
School Health Programme

• Approximately 6 to 7 of children in the age
  group between 6 to 14 years found to be having
  Eye problems.
• The common causes are refractive errors, Vita. A
  def., corneal opacity, cataract, Glaucoma.
• Government of Gujarat has launched and
  successfully doing well in School Health
  Programme since last 5 years and spend Rs. 3
  Crorers/Year for the programme.
• This programme is running with the co-ordination
  of primary education department.
• One teacher from each primary school preferably
  ladies teacher wearing the glass is trained for
  primary eye examination of the school children.
• In the year 2006-07, 7600 teachers have been
  trained.
• With the efforts the no. of children screened
  have been increased from 6887584 in 1998-99 to
  8417655 in 2006-07.

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Trend of SES Children Screened and Given Free
Glasses During 2002 - 03 to 2006 - 07
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Eye Banking

• Eye donation activities have been also increased
  in last five years. 25 of the total Eye
  donation in country.
• There are 11 Eye banks in Gujarat.
• Every year a fortnight from 25th August to 8th
  September is celebrated for promotion of Eye
  donation campaign.

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Eye Donation Activity (Last five years)
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Challenges for Government

• Assessment of blindness.
• Development of Infrastructure.
• Human resources development.
• Public Awareness.
• Co-ordination and Networking.

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Government and NGO(1)

• NGOs and private sectors have been remained as
  pillars of success of National Program for
  Control of Blindness in Gujarat.
• They are involved in different activities like
  Preparing of Village blind registers, Screening
  Camps, Motivation and Transport of Surgical
  patients providing Primary Eye care facilities,
  School Eye Screening, Training programmes, Eye
  donation activities.

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Government and NGO(2)

• In Gujarat there are 174 No. of NGOs working in
  such activities. Certain NGOs in different
  district have registered themselves as base
  hospitals to provide all type of Eye care
  facilities.
• In such base hospitals cataract surgeries and
  other eye surgeries are done free of costs under
  Government schemes. They also provide Medical
  treatment for Glaucoma, Diabetic Retinopathy etc.
• Government has Revised the pattern of assistance
  to NGO from 1st Oct. 2004.

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Revised pattern of assistance to NGO

• Assistance to Non-government Organizations
• Grant-in-aid for free cataract surgery
• Grant-in-aid of a maximum amount of Rs. 500 for
  conventional surgery and Rs. 750 for IOL surgery
  including SICS/Phaco surgery.

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Non-recurring grant-in-aid of Rs. 25 lakhs to
NGOs for expansion or up gradation of eye care
units for tribal or backward rural population for

• Construction of wards and OTs.
• Procurement of ophthalmic equipments.
• Purchase of vehicle for mobilization of patients
  .
• Furnishing and fixture for wards/OTs.
• Eligibility
• (1) The scheme seeks to enhance capacity to
  provide eye care facility for underserved
  population having no access to such facilities
  within 40 to 100 Km range either in public or in
  private sector. For this either NGO must be
  located in such a area where eye care facilities
  are not available within 40 to 100 km range, or
  NGO has to adopt minimum two taluka besides its
  working area which are underserved and for this
  it has to submit a bond to Government.
• (2) NGO will be provided this non-recurring GIA
  on a. 11 sharing basis maximum upto 25 lakhs.
• (3) Population of services area should covered 5
  lakhs population.
• (4) NGO has to perform minimum 1000 cataract
  surgery per year.

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Non-recurring GIA of Rs. 10 lakhs to NGOs for
setting up / strengthening of eye banks for

• Purchase of equipments, medicines.
• Furnishing and fixtures in eye banks.
• Purchase of vehicle.
• Other items required for eye bank.
• Recurring Grant-in-aid for Collecting donated
  eyes
• Up to Rs. 1000 per pair of eyes collected for
  POL/transportation/hiring of vehicles, consumable
  items required in eye collection, storage,
  testing, counseling and for personnel cost.
• Eligibility
• A society registered under the Indian Societies
  Registration Act, 1860 (Act XXI of 1860 or any
  such act resolved by the State) or a charitable
  public trust registered under law for the time
  being in force
• Track record of having experience in providing
  health services for a minimum of 3 years
• Having available, well-trained staff,
  infrastructure and the required managerial
  expertise to organize and carry out various
  activities under the schemes and
• Agreeing to abide by guidelines and norms of the
  programme.

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Co-ordination between NGO and Private Sector

• However there are certain issues to be taken care
  like
• Proper work distribution between Government and
  NGO sectors to avoid duplication of eye care
  services.
• Cost effectiveness of NGOs working need to be
  checked out.
• Evaluation of quality of NGOs working.
• Evaluation of records maintain by NGOs.
• Lack of NGOs in tribal and underserved areas.