The Maharashtra government has decided to launch a ‘Preventable Blindness Free Maharashtra Mission’ next month to clear the backlog of cataract surgery, with the aim to diagnose and provide operative services for the over 17 lakh cataract, glaucoma, squint and refractory error patients across the state. A senior official said due to the pandemic cataract treatment suffered a setback as most of them were unable to access proper treatment over the last two years.
Dr Tatyarao Lahane, professor of ophthalmology at the JJ Group of Hospitals, who will be coordinating the mission, said, on average 17 lakh people in Maharashtra suffer from cataract, of which five lakh urgently need surgery. “There is a huge backlog of cases that has piled up in the last two years. Statistics reveal that on an average 200 people in the state lost vision in both eyes, while close to 900 suffered blindness in one eye due to lack of treatment,” added Dr Lahane.
The state will launch this scheme by channeling over 350 operation theaters in state-run civil hospitals, medical colleges, district hospitals and other Health Department infrastructure, which can provide eye-related treatment. While over six to seven lakh cataract surgeries were conducted annually pre-pandemic, during the last two years, only two lakh cataract surgeries could be conducted as most hospitals were catering exclusively to Covid patients.
The Tribal Development and Social Justice departments will provide additional support to the initiative, besides the State Health and Medical Education Departments.
“Under the National Programme for Control of Blindness, the country had reported over one crore cataract patients across India. Out of these, 17 lakh are from Maharashtra alone. Under the new mission, more than 350 OTs in state-run hospitals and medical colleges will be utilised. NGOs that provide eye treatments will also be roped in for the programme,” he added.
He added, “The mission will be empowered to converge the services of four state departments. The medical education, public health, social justice and tribal development departments will all perform their own role to provide treatment to patients. The mission will be launched in a month’s time and hopefully, in the next two years, the pending surgeries will be conducted and completed.”
Maharashtra has been at the forefront of cataract surgeries in the country. The new multi-departmental mission will include both diagnostic and operative services for the specified eye conditions. Both adults and children can benefit from this new programme, said, officials.
