Special training for N/E teachers, students
The training had been carried out under the Vision 2020 programme that was launched by the Ministry two years ago. In order to enhance the efficiency of the programme, the Health Minister Maithripala Sirisena has also launched a fiveyear action plan
The Health Ministry has carried out a special training programme for teachers and prefects of North and East schools in order to assist them in identifying children with visual impairments in the provinces.
Health Ministry Spokesman W. M.D. Wanninayake speaking to Daily Mirror yesterday said. “Although it has been revealed that some 160,000 children in the country suffer from various visual impairments, at present we are not equipped with any data concerning the children of the North and East provinces. Hence, this training was carried out so that the identification of children with visual impairments and data collection could be carried out effectively,” he further said.
The training had been carried out under the Vision 2020 programme that was launched by the Ministry two years ago. In order to enhance the efficiency of the programme, the Health Minister Maithripala Sirisena has also launched a fiveyear action plan this week, so that the goals set by the Vision 2020 programme could be achieved as planned.
According to Health Ministry statistics, close to 150,000 adults in the country were also suffering from visual impairments due to various conditions including cataract. “However, in most of the visual impairments, patients are not aware of the fact that treatment is available to improve their condition. Therefore, one motive of the programme is to carry out treatment and raise awareness among the public concerning the treatment available,” Mr. Wanninayake added.
As part of the programme, he said several measures had been carried out so far including free eye lens and spectacle distribution as well as operations to improve certain visual complications. “We have distributed free spectacles to 30,000 children so far and during the past two years, Rs. 60 million in funds from donors had been spent on the programme,” he added.