100% kids to be covered, free eyeglasses & tertiary care to be provided
Budgam : Deputy Commissioner Budgam, Athar Aamir Khan, Thusrday launched a comprehensive Children’s Eye Health Programme for school-going children across the district.
The programme has been launched by the District Administration Budgam in collaboration with Nayonika Eye Care Charitable Trust and Help Foundation J&K, with the objective of ensuring early detection and timely treatment of vision-related problems among students enrolled in Government schools.
Under the initiative, approximately 1.67 lakh students studying in 917 schools across the district will be covered through a comprehensive eye screening programme.
As part of the programme, preliminary eye screening of students will be conducted at the school level through the Snellen Eye Chart test. After initial screening, all those identified with vision related difficulties will be rescreened and assessed at District and Sub-District hospitals. All those kids requiring spectacles will be provided free of cost and those requiring surgical or other specialised treatment will be facilitated for same at GMC and other tertiary care eye hospitals.
Following the examination, the required lens power and other specifications will be determined and recorded by the concerned medical professionals. The Nayonika Eye Care Charitable Trust and Help Foundation J&K will facilitate the provision of the required spectacles free of cost to needy students identified under the programme.
Speaking at the outset, the Deputy Commissioner said that the initiative has been launched with the objective of ensuring that no child is left behind in education due to undetected or unaddressed vision-related difficulties. He said that timely identification and correction of visual impairments are essential to enable children to participate effectively in classroom learning and other educational activities. He further stressed that every possible effort would be made to ensure that vision-related difficulties do not adversely affect the education, overall development and future prospects of any student.
The Deputy Commissioner appreciated the collaborative efforts of the Nayonika Eye Care Charitable Trust, Help Foundation J&K, Education Department, Health Department and school teachers in implementing the initiative at the grassroots level.
Among others, those present on the occasion included ADC Budgam, Mehraj-ud-Din Shah, Chief Education Officer Budgam, Chief Medical Officer Budgam, all Zonal Education Officers, Block Medical Officers, Medical Superintendent, District Hospital Budgam, and Principals of Higher Secondary Schools of the district.
