Shillong, May 11: An intense eye awareness campaign and rally was held at the K.B. Memorial Higher Secondary School, Wapung Skur, East Jaintia Hills District today to spread the message on the importance of vision.
The programme was organised by the office of the District Medical & Health Officer (DM&HO) with the office of the National Programme for Control of Blindness & Visual Impaired, National Health Mission, Shillong in collaboration with the Association of Community Ophthalmologists of India (ACOIN) Drishti Ratha Yatra.
In his address, National General Secretary, Association of Community Ophthalmologist, Dr. Swapan K. Samanta shared insights into the organisation’s mission, which was established 25 years ago. Over the years, it has grown into a formidable collective of nearly 1700 ophthalmologists devoted to enhancing community eye healthcare throughout the Indian subcontinent.
He emphasised that the ongoing “Yatra” is traversing various regions in India, aiming to foster awareness about the eye care facilities available within local communities. Despite the existence of numerous opportunities and support from government and non-government institutions for eye healthcare services, a significant portion of the population remains unaware of the available resources due to ignorance or indifference, he said.
Dr. Samanta highlighted that public awareness is crucial in enabling individuals to access eye healthcare services effectively. He also praised Meghalaya’s healthcare framework, which, despite a shortage of ophthalmologists, provides a robust support system through hospitals and NGOs.
The awareness initiative is significantly inspired by the values of Swami Vivekananda, he said, urging the community to awaken and harness the opportunities surrounding them. To further engage the youth, Dr. Samanta shared 12 important messages of the Yatra, encouraging students to incorporate these daily practices for better vision and overall eye health.
Earlier in the day, a ‘Vision Check Up of the School Children’ was also conducted.
Later, a similar awareness programme was also held for the community members of Wapung Skur with the aim to educate the people on the importance of eye health.
The programme was also attended by DM&HO Dr D. Shylla, Sub-Divisional Medical & Health Officer (SDM&HO), Dr W. Bamon, Principal of K.B Memorial Secondary School Dr. Heipor Uni Bang, other health officials, students and teachers.
