‘Virtual skill centre’ for eye doctors soon in BBSR

In a bid to improve skills of doctors and paramedics working in field of eye care, the State Government has decided to set up a “virtual skill centre” to impart advanced training to eye specialists.

The proposed centre is to come up at the premises of the Skill Development Institute (SDI) at Mancheswar in Bhubaneswar.

The eye doctors and paramedics working in the field would be provided training at the virtual skill centre to enable them provide better eye care to patients. The experienced doctors can also take training at the institute, informed a senior official in the Health Department.

The doctors and health workers would be trained through simulators provided by various companies. As the Universal Eye Health Programme to keep people protected from avoidable vision-related issues and to provide comprehensive eye care to people of all age groups has been launched in the State, the proposed centre would help in making the programme successful, he said.

Meanwhile, the Government has also decided to open mobile vision clinics in 10 tribal districts. The mobile vision van equipped with eye test equipments and accompanied by an official in the rank of Assistant Ophthalmic would travel in Malkangiri, Koraput, Rayagada, Nabarangpur, Kalahandi, Kandhamal, Nuapada, Deogarh, Mayurbhanj and Gajapati districts.

The van would move in every block once in a week or 15 days. The patients needing surgery would be referred to the concerned District Headquarters Hospital.

Besides, a decision has been made to provide required equipments to 70 Community Health Centres (CHCs) in the districts in the next three years. The retinas of eyes of the patients simultaneously diagnosed with eye problems and diabetes would be photographed. The patients, who need laser treatment, would be referred to the medical colleges and the Capital Hospital in Bhubaneswar.