Eye check up camp organized in AMU

ALIGARH May 26:

The Department of Community Medicine, JN Medical College, Aligarh Muslim University organized a free eye check up camp for children under 15 years of age at Urban Health Training Centre, Qila Road.Prof. Najam Khalique, Chairman of the department inaugurated the camp. Addressing on the occasion, he said that out of 45 million people who are blind, around 1.4 million are children under-16. He said that fifty percent of childhood blindness is preventable and one of the important cause of visually impaired or blindness is corneal scarring which is rooted in poor diet (lack of Vitamin A) and inadequate sanitation.

Dr. Anees Ahmad, Associate Professor, Department of Community Medicine said that socio-economic development has greater role in prevention of childhood blindness.  He said that in low-income countries with high under-5 mortality rates, the prevalence may be as high as 1.5 per 1000 children while in high-income countries with low under-5 mortality rates, the prevalence is around 0.3 per 1000 children.Dr. Ziya Siddiqui, Assistant Professor, Department of Opthalmology said that childhood blindness is a global concern while India has the world’s largest burden of blindness.

The camp was supported by Mr Faizan Siddique of “Kids with Vision”, New York, USA. The organization helps children avoid blindness by preventing conditions like congenital cataract, corneal ulcer, refractive errors, squint etc.A team of doctors, medico-social workers and refractionists from Department of Community Medicine and Institute of Ophthalmology conducted eye check up. Children diagnosed with eye problems were referred to JN Medical College and other higher centres for treatment including eye surgery.

Dr. Suboohi Afzal, Dr. Ali Jafar Abedi, and his team of resident doctors, intern, and medico-social worker made arrangement for wide publicity in the registered areas for the camp. Dr. Asjad, Dr. Istiyaq, Dr. Mohd Tabish Khan, Dr. Sadiya Rehman, Dr. Namita Kumari, Dr. Zulfiqar, Dr. Mohd Masjood, Mr. Hashmi, and other staff members of the Department of Community Medicine and Institute of Ophthalmology participated in the activity.

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