Today’s generation is heading toward the new technocratic world with no care for the present body, this ugly routine is also a cause of losing eyesight. The Blindness Prevention Week campaign is planned and organized by the Government of India from April 1 to April 7 to raise awareness for blind people. Blindness is a big problem and a painful condition for people who have it and cannot perceive it with the naked eye. Although the campaign was organized, most people across the country understood the value of eyes for the blind. India has many people who are blind from birth or by accident.
Global Campaign
There are 10 million blind people in our country. The global number of blind people is about 37 million. The Government of India has organized a campaign to raise awareness and create better opportunities for blind people by establishing many institutes, agencies, hospitals, etc. During the week, everyone gets education related to health care and eye care. In some parts of India, affected people are protesting the rights they are supposed to have.
History
The National Association for the Prevention of Blindness was established in 1960 (under the Companies Registration Act 1860), with Jawaharlal Nehru and Raj Kumari Amrit Kaur as the founders. NSPB is an entirely voluntary organization that receives money through donations and grants. NSPB actively cooperates with Sight Savers, Rotary International, and other large corporations. The Government of India has joined the global initiative “Vision 2020:
“Right to See,” launched by the World Health Organization (WHO) in collaboration with the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness and other NGOs, aims to eliminate avoidable blindness by 2020. India was also the first country to apply for a concessional loan from the International Development Agency Program of the World Bank for blindness control.
Awareness
Some educational institutions are dedicated to providing education to blind students, but they still need more attention. For the campaign to be successful, different departments, publishers, and NGOs must work together. Eye donation is the most effective way to provide genuine assistance to the blind while also bringing permanent light into their dark lives.
The aim of the campaign is to draw attention to the various risk factors for eye damage that can lead to vision impairment. People should be informed of all eye problems and possible complications, including routine eye exams by an ophthalmologist at the nearest eye clinic where it is convenient to check.
What it Involves?
The campaign involved well-trained healthcare workers from government agencies, voluntary agencies, and the state office of health education working together to raise awareness of the program. It is essential to warn and awaken people about all the factors that cause blindness. Statistically, it is noted that India has the highest number of blind people. and almost a third are blind.
The main causes of blindness are trachoma, cataracts, vitamin A deficiency, malnutrition, and a lack of ophthalmologists and eye donors. Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan are the states hardest hit by blindness. Blindness Prevention Week was first started by Jawaharlal Nehru and Raj Kumari Amrit Kaur in 1960 under the Companies Registration Act 1860. Another “Right to See” campaign was launched by the WHO to prevent blindness. prevent blindness.
Various Activity
Various events and activities are organized by governmental and non-governmental organizations and institutions on this day.
Community health centers are organized to provide free educational materials, knowledge about eye care and eye diseases, free eye exams for refractive errors and cataract detection, as well as free eyeglasses for the sick.
Free eye camps are organized to educate about eye health and prevent congenital eye diseases through rubella and measles vaccinations.
Various posters and leaflets are displayed in schools to raise awareness. Various eye camps are organized to raise people’s awareness about donating eyes and corneas for transplant to those in need.
World Sight Day 2023 Theme :
Continuing with last year’s theme, the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness (IAPB) has confirmed that this year’s theme will also be “Love Your Eyes.”
Blindness in India:
- Some obvious facts
- Statistics have revealed that India is home to the highest number of blind people in the world.
- Out of the 37 million blind people worldwide (as of 2007), more than 15 million live in India.
- One in three people in India is blind.
- The main causes of blindness in India are malnutrition, trachoma, and cataracts, among others. Other causes include a lack of optometrists’ and donors’ eyes.
- Vitamin A deficiency is the leading cause of blindness in children.
Cataracts are the most common cause of blindness nationwide.
The rate of blindness is high in states like Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan.
In absolute terms, more than two-thirds of blind people are found in Andhra Pradesh, Orissa, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, and Uttar Pradesh. History of Blindness Prevention Week.
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