Nagpur: Mahatme Eye Bank Eye Hospital organised various events to mark National Eye Donation Fortnight being observed August 25 to September 8, 2019. As part of the event, a rally was taken out by students and staff of Mahatme Eye Hospital. The rally, taken out from Jaiprakash Nagar, Khamla, Ring road and Wardha Road areas, was flagged off by Mayor Nanda Jichkar on Sunday. Students and members of Suretech Nursing College, Mure Memorial Hospital and Brahmakumari’s also enthusiastically joined the rally and spread the message of eye donation among people.
Congratulating the initiative, the Mayor reiterated the importance of eye donation and how crucial it is to help those who suffer from corneal blindness. She noted the decades-long work done by Mahatme Eye Bank Eye Hospital, especially the fact that the first eye bank in Nagpur was started by Padmashri Dr. Vikas Mahatme, Rajya Sabha member, in 1986. Dr. Sunita Mahatme, President of SMM Eye Welfare Charitable Trust that runs the Mahatme Eye Bank Eye Hospital, said that there are no restrictions of religion, caste, blood group, age, and sex when it comes to donating eyes. She encouraged all Nagpurians to take the pledge of eye donation and register as eye donors. Eye donation happens only after donor’s death and the precious initial hours after death are the only window available to carry out eye donation. Having a donor pledge card is therefore helpful in taking timely action.
The rally started from the Somalwada campus of Mahatme Eye Bank Eye Hospital at 8 am and passed through Sita Nagar Road, Bhaji Mandi Chowk, Khamla Market area. At Orange City Hospital Square, the rally turned towards Chhatrapati Square on Ring Road and then continued south on to Wardha Road, culminating at the Somalwada campus of the hospital. Supporting their friends and colleagues at MEBEH, students and staff from Suretech Nursing College, Mure Memorial Hospital and Brahmakumari’s showed up in their institute uniforms and enthusiastically shouted slogans.
Leading the rally, Dr. Nikhilesh Wairagade, Cornea specialist and Medical Superintendent at Mahatme Eye Bank Eye Hospital, stated that many corneally blind people can regain vision through corneal transplantation but have to spend a lot of time on waiting lists to get a suitable cornea. With greater awareness of eye donation, Dr. Wairagade hoped that people will come forth and pledge to donate their eyes.
Hospital Administration announced that Mahatme Eye Bank Eye Hospital will continue to raise awareness about eye diseases and community ophthalmology issues through such activities, especially on the occasion of the forthcoming World Sight Day on October 10, 2019.
