Meeting On 2nd September

On 2 September 2020 a meeting was held by doctors and staff of Jharkhand Eye Bank, Hospital and Research Centre to discuss management of eye collection and eye transplant in this corona crisis. Patients present in the hospital were told what eye donation means and why it is necessary. The doctor explained that the eyes of both young and old can be donated. Eyes cannot be donated if the person dies of HIV, Hepatitis B and C , rabies, snake bite and such causes. Owing to the Covid 19 crisis, this year activities like eye donation camps, drawing and essay competitions or walks for eye donation could not be organized. It was decided that efforts to increase awareness about eye donation would continue periodically throughout the year through radio and TV talks, and digital meetings with organizations. Owing to the fear of infection, eye collection and eye transplant have been hampered for several months. With due precautions for staff and patients, cornea collection and transplant would be started as soon as possible blind.

In areas outside big towns, people whose vision is poor or gone are ignored as being blind. The audience was urged to tell people with defective vision to have their eyes checked to see whether corneal transplant could help.

The staff discussed how Eye Donation Counselors can go safely to motivate families of the dead. The Secretary informed the members present that most eye banks are not attending to home calls at present. Only in hospitals, where the patient’s medical history is available, Eye Donation Counselors are sent with full PPE protection. The staff and doctors decided that counseling will not be done at Covid hospitals or homes at present.