Cornea collection efforts hit superstition hurdle in state
EYE-OPENER Jharkhand lags behind Chhattisgarh and Uttarakhand that were formed along with it
RANCHI: Superstitions still pose a hurdle in popularising eye donations in Jharkhand, despite the efforts made by the government and NGOs to promote awareness.
The Eye Bank Association of India (EBAI) data has revealed that while the rest of the country is witnessing a positive trend in corneal donation, Jharkhand has been lagging behind.
Jharkhand is lagging behind Chattisgarh and Uttarakhand that were formed along with it in 2000 when it comes to cornea collection, which can help an estimated 300 people in the state get back eyesight through corneal corrections, the data shows.
Jharkhand is given a target of collecting 200 corneas by the National Blindness Control Programme (NBCP) and until November 2015, the state managed to collect 42 corneas, the data has revealed.
Unlike Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh against a target of 300 has collected 140 corneas and Uttarakhand against a target of 500, has collected 90 corneas in the same period.
Jharkhand health minister Ramchandra Chandravanshi said, “I was also asked a question in the Jharkhand assembly (ongoing budget session) on the issue. Let me assure that the state is taking all steps to improve numbers and increase ophthalmologists in the state.”
State nodal NBCP officer, Dr Raj Mohan said, “Problem is we don’t have the required manpower or infrastructures to collect cornea. Jharkhand has 16 ophthalmologists, including six are surgeons. To increase the rate of collections we need eys banks and doctors in hospitals at the district level.”
He further said the government is drafting a proposal to recruit eye surgeons in the state.
Health department officials blamed the dismal performance on the superstition and myths. A senior NBCP official in Jharkhand said, “Every year more than 100 people across the state pledge to donate cornea, but families do not allow us to remove the cornea after the donor’s death”
Rajnish Kuma of Jamshedpurbased Eye Bank Association of India, blamed myths and lack of awareness programmes by the state as major deterrents. “Families of people who pledged eyes believe removing cornea after death is blasphemy.”
Ophthalmologists said to get a good cornea, which can restore vision, the rate of collection must be high. The eye bank association said for every 10 cornea collected, three have to be rejected as they may be defective or without enough living cells.
The NBCP guidelines, states that corneas has to be collected within three to four hours of death and can be stored in a bank up to 14 days.
Kumar said an active role from the Jharkhand police will help increase cornea collection in the state.
“Every year there are many deaths from accidents. If the police inform us within the three hours we can counsel the family and collect the deceased cornea. It is a tough job but out of 100 cases we get two to three hits.”