Orbis, the non-profit organization dedicated to preventing avoidable blindness, and the Dr. Rajendra Prasad Centre for Ophthalmic Sciences at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) have come together to release the Eye Care Manual on Mapping of Human Resource and Infrastructure for Pediatric Eye Care Services in India. The manual was created to address the increasing concerns about the availability of human and material resources for the treatment and management of visual impairment in the country.
The manual provides a detailed analysis of the current status of pediatric eye care services across India, including the availability of services, infrastructure, and human resources for pediatric ophthalmology. The data was gathered from the All-India Ophthalmological Society and the India Vision Atlas under the National Program for the Control of Blindness and Visual Impairment, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
“Mitigating childhood blindness requires informed decision-making, which starts with assessing and bridging the gap in service delivery through mapping resources and infrastructure,” said Dr. Jeevan Singh Titiyal, Chief of Dr. R.P. Centre for Ophthalmic Sciences, AIIMS. Dr. Praveen Vashist, Professor and Officer In-charge of Community Ophthalmology at Dr. R.P. Centre, added, “This manual is a crucial effort towards providing evidence-based information to strengthen the training needs for pediatric eye care services in the country.”
Orbis and Dr. R.P. Centre have been actively involved in initiatives to improve pediatric eye care in India, including a 2006 national survey on HR & Infrastructure for Control of Childhood and Corneal Blindness, the establishment of a Children’s Eye Centre at Dr. R.P. Centre, and strategic planning for Orbis partners under the Eye Care Management project. The manual is expected to play a significant role in the development of the pediatric eye care sector in India and improve service delivery.
“We’re excited to see the progress being made in partnership with Dr. R.P. Centre for Ophthalmic Sciences, AIIMS and the valuable insights captured in this manual,” said Derek Hodkey, President and CEO of Orbis. “This publication provides a comprehensive analysis of pediatric eye care services and is a valuable tool for the growth of the pediatric eye care sector in India.”
