Lok Sabha Question No. 5657 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2017-04-07
Subject: Eye Donation
Ministry: HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE
Asked by: M. I. SHANAVAS, RAYAPATI SAMBASIVA RAO

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE

LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 5657 TO BE ANSWERED ON 7 th APRIL, 2017

## EYE DONATION

## 5657. SHRI M.I. SHANAVAS: SHRI RAYAPATI SAMBASIVA RAO:

Will the Minister of HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government is aware that over 50 per cent of the donated eyes go waste;
- (b) if so, the response of the G vernment in this regard;
- (c) whether there are any programmes inthe Ministry which aims at encouraging eye donation in the country;
- (d) if so, the complete details thereof including steps taken to bring about awareness;
- (e) if not, the reasons therefor; and
- (f) type of efforts taken by the Government hospitals acro ss the country in the last three years to see that eye donations are successfully utilised?

## ANSWER THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE (SMT. ANUPRIYA PATEL )

- (a) & (b): As per the reports furnished by States/ UTs, less than 50 per cent donated collected under the National Programme for Control of Blindness (NPCB) of the Ministry Health and Family Welfare are utilized for corneal transplantation.

This  is  mainly  b ecause,  all  the  donated  eyes  are  not  found  suitable  for  corne transplantation  due  to  various  medical  reasons,  like  poor  quality  of  collected  corneas reasons like, age of donor, pre - existing degeneration/diseases etc.   Prior to transplantation, e collected corneas are assessed by transplant surgeons for its suitability for optical ker using Specular Microscope.

However,  corneas  not  suitable  or  fit  for  optical  keratoplasty  are  utilized  ei therapeutic keratoplasty or for training and research purpose.

No  report  about  intentional  non - use/wastage  of  donated  eyes  in  Government  eye banks/hospitals across the country has been received.

(c) to (e): Information, Education and Communication (IEC) is an on -going activity under NPCB  to  create  awareness  about  eye  health  including  promotion  of  eye  donation  to  res vision of corneal blind in the country.  The ma jor steps to promote eye donation are:

- Educating people about early donation so that eye tissues can be harvested withi - 6 hours of  death of donor and also follow other general precautions like covering e deceased person, switching off the fans et c.;
- Nation - wide campaign during  annual event -Eye Donation Fortnight from 25 th August to 8 th September -to promote eye donation;
- Honouring donor families in the annual functions organized by major eye banks dur Eye Donation Fortnight;
- Continuation of dedicated phone line 1919 (BSNL & MTNL users) automatically linked with the area eye banks in metro cities and new 24x7 toll free No. 1800 - 11- 4770  for organ donation including eye donation;
- Promotion  of  eye  donation  through  print  and  electronic  media  and a  weekly  radio programme 'Ankehn Hain Anmol' -aired on FM Gold.

## (f): Major Steps taken to strengthen eye banking at Government hospitals/Medical Colleg are as under:

- Strengthening  of  Eye  Banks  located  at  Medical  Colleges  by  providing  essenti ophtha lmic equipments;
- Collection of eyes by Eye Banks from willing donors after death and also from those patients who die in hospitals through 'Hospital Corneal Retrieval Programme' for timely transplantation of corneas;
- Appointment  of  Eye  Donation  Counsellors in  the  identified  Eye  Banks  of  Medical Colleges/Tertiary  care  Hospitals  to  promote  eye  donation  and  timely  collection donated eyes;
- Free supply of preservation and storage medium for donated eyes to Government ey banks all over the country to improve utilization of donated eyes;
- Provision for in - service training of eye surgeons in eye banking for skill development.