Deputy Chief Minister and Minister for Revenue Dharmana Krishnadas on Saturday told the Medical and Health Department officials to make Srikakulam a blind-free district. He said more medical camps should be conducted in remote areas to identify patients with eye problems and ensure quick treatment to improve their vision.
Along with former Minister and Srikakulam MLA Dharmana Prasada Rao, he inaugurated a new eye hospital of Sankar Foundation here.
He said the foundation was conducting hundreds of eye camps and performig operations free of cost.
Mr. Prasada Rao said that thousands of fishermen were suffering from eye diseases and other complications due to the direct exposure to sunlight during fishing in the sea. He lauded the managing trustee and CEO of the foundation for her initiative to expand services to remote areas.
Ms. Manimala said the foundation had served 21.34 lakh patients and conducted 3.61 lakh eye surgeries in the last two decades She said the foundation had five hospitals both in A.P. and Odisha and would establish one in Vizianagaram district very soon. “Avoidable blindness is the major concern. That is why, we are conducting more medical camps and extending our support to the YSR Kantivelugu programme which would ensure all the tests and required operations free of cost for poor people,” she added.