Thane: The Kalyan Dombivali Municipal Corporation (KDMC) run Rukmini Bai Hospital which has set up a 24x7 eye donation facility this year has conducted 30 donations from January to May. The hospital also has counsellors to guide the families of the deceased and address their concerns. Dr Sandeep Pagare, a senior doctor from Rukmini Bai Hospital, Kalyan said, " Apart from a 24x7 hour eye-donation facility the counselling is also set up at another civic-run hospital, Shastri Nagar hospital so that the relatives of the deceased in that hospital are also encouraged to donate the eyes of the departed."
Pagare added, "Throughout the pandemic, we worked on improving the health care services by introducing maternity homes and other facilities. Now people can even donate eyes. Last year around 172 eyes were donated and it was given to 134 people while this year in five months from January to May, 30 eyes were donated and were given to 26 people. "The employees of Rukmini Bai Hospital carry out the 'panchnama' of the dead and then counsel the family and relatives of the deceased to agree to donate the eyes of the deceased."
Many families and relatives refuse to donate eyes, they need to be counselled. We counsel them at the hospital, explain that the face of the deceased donor will not be disfigured. We also stress on the importance of eye donation. We successfully managed to convince many to donate eyes," informed Pagare.
