BHUBANESWAR: The state cabinet on Wednesday approved a new eye care scheme--Universal Eye Health Programme that aims to provide universal access to comprehensive eye care services from primary to tertiary level.
Chief minister
Naveen Patnaik had announced the scheme on October 12, last year under which the state government would spent over Rs 680 crore in next five years.
Under the scheme, the state government would generate baseline data of prevalence of eye diseases in the state through a sample survey and ensure
affordable eye care services by making available skilled manpower and equipment.
The programme that will be implemented from 2018-19 year would continue till 2022-23 under which the state government targets to address over 10 lakh cataract cases. Every year, over 5 lakh spectacles will be distributed to school students under the programme.
The state government aims to set up modular eye Operation Theater with 20-beded eye wards in 30 district headquarters hospitals and 27 sub-divisional hospitals.
Vision Centres will be established at every block while 30 mobile eye care van will be launched for all districts.
The eye care facilities in all the seven medical colleges will be upgraded. At present, all diabetes patients are screened at the community health centre (CHC) level for diabetes retinopathy and provided free treatment and medical college and district headquarter hospitals.
Earlier, the state health and family welfare department has constituted a 16-member empowered committee to draw a roadmap to identify the backlog of curable/treatable blindness.
To provide better ambience to the patients and their attendants at public health facilities and to minimize hospital acquired infections, the state government clears a programme—strengthening of ancillary services in public health facilities. Over Rs 550 crore will be spent under the programme to enhance the standard of sanitation in government health centres by engaging expertise private agencies.
Odisha Chief minister Naveen Patnaik. 
