By OUR STAFF REPORTER
Dehradun, 24 Dec: The Governor, Lt General Gurmit Singh (Retd), participated in the inaugural programme of the “Eye Disease Awareness Seminar and Cataract Surgery Week”, organised by Hemwati Nandan Bahuguna Uttarakhand Medical Education University at the Raj Bhavan, here, on Tuesday.
Under the inspiration and guidance of the Governor, from 25 to 31 December, free eye disease screenings and cataract surgery camps will be held across 15 medical units in the state. These camps will offer free eye examinations, consultations, and cataract surgeries. For ex-servicemen and their dependants, cataract surgeries and consultations will be provided at the Military Hospital, Dehradun, by Brigadier Sanjay Mishra, a renowned surgeon from the Army Hospital, Delhi.
On the occasion of the seminar held the day before the birthday of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, the Governor remarked that eyes are the most precious gift from God, and it is one’s duty to take care of them. He mentioned that due to the modern lifestyle, excessive use of mobile phones, TV, and digital devices, the pressure on eyes and the risk of diseases have increased.
He added that with increasing age, facing eye diseases, especially cataracts, is common. In this context, this campaign will provide an opportunity for eye health and treatment, especially for people in rural and underserved communities.
The Governor described this initiative as an important public service campaign, saying that it would not only help in the treatment of eye diseases but also raise awareness. He appreciated the efforts of all health institutions and urged people to take maximum advantage of these camps.
During the seminar, useful information and preventive measures regarding eye diseases were presented by Prof Sanjeev Kumar Mittal, Head of the Department of Ophthalmology at AIIMS Rishikesh, Prof Shanti Pandey, Head of the Department of Ophthalmology at Doon Medical College, and Brigadier Sanjay Mishra, an eye surgeon at Army Hospital, Delhi. They highlighted the importance of lifestyle improvements and timely treatment to prevent cataracts and other eye disorders.
For ex-servicemen and their dependants, the camp will be held at the Military Hospital (MH) in Dehradun. For the general public, the camps will be organised at various locations, including Government Doon Medical College, Dehradun; Veer Chandra Singh Garhwali Rajkiya Ayurvedic and Medical Research Institute, Srinagar Garhwal; Gandhi Shatabdi Eye Hospital, Dehradun; All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Rishikesh; Rajkiya Medical College, Haldwani; Soban Singh Jeena Rajkiya Ayurvedic and Medical Research Institute, Almora; Rajkiya Medical College, Haridwar; Hans Eye Hospital, Haridwar; Vivekanand Eye Hospital, Rajpur Road, Dehradun; Nirmal Ashram Eye Institute, Rishikesh; Hans Foundation Eye Hospital, Kotdwar; Himalayan Institute of Medical Sciences, Jolly Grant, Dehradun; Shri Mahant Indresh Hospital, Shri Guru Ram Rai University, Dehradun; and Ras Bihari Bose University, Dehradun.
On this occasion, Health Minister Dr Dhan Singh Rawat, Secretary to the Governor, Ravinath Raman, Director, AIIMS Rishikesh, Prof Meenu Singh, Vice-Chancellor, Hemwati Nandan Bahuguna Uttarakhand Medical Education University, Prof MLB Bhatt, GOC Sub Area, Dehradun, Major General R Premraj, Registrar of Hemwati Nandan Bahuguna Uttarakhand Medical Education University Dr Ashish Uniyal, several ex-servicemen, college students, and other attendees were also present.
