School Sight programme a success in Bijapur

[sajiv]

Bijapur: The School Sight programme launched by the Department of Public Instruction to help children with poor vision has received overwhelming response from people in the district, said Deputy Director of Public Instruction Rajendra Prasad.

Speaking to presspersons here on Tuesday, he said the department had signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Dr. M.M. Joshi Eye Hospital, Hubli, for the programme.According to the agreement, the hospital trains teachers to identify affected children through a chart provided to them. Supervisors from the hospital visit the district schools to identify such children.

The details of the identified children are sent to the hospital, and arrangements are made for their treatment, Mr. Prasad said.Free food and accommodation are provided to those who escort the children for treatment.

The DDPI office bears half the expenditure for treatment, and the hospital contributes the rest. Last year, 24 students in Bijapur city, 12 in Chadchan and 23 students in Indi taluk underwent treatment for poor vision.This year, the department has identified four children in Bijapur city, 35 in Bijapur rural, one in Indi, and 11 students in Sindagi taluk. These children have already been treated, Mr. Prasad said.

Hospital chairman M.M. Joshi said the main intention of the programme was to help the economically weaker sections of society. "The programme was first launched in Hubli and Dharwad where more than 5,000 children have been checked, 600 have undergone surgery, and 800 have been provided with glasses.""The hospital has already trained 1,500 teachers in the district to identify the affected children."