Aalo, Mar 7: The National Programme for Control of Blindness and Visual Impairment (NPCBVI) is moving forward with its plan to declare West Siang district as Avoidable Blindness-Free by March 31.
As part of the initiative, the Health department has intensified efforts, including community mobilization, training of staff and volunteers, and fieldwork by ASHAs and primary healthcare workers. All rural communities have already been screened under the campaign.
In a significant step, a training session for volunteers engaged in screening the township area was conducted on Thursday by ophthalmologists and para-medical ophthalmic assistants. The screening process for operable cataract cases in the township will commence immediately.
All identified operable cases, both in rural and urban areas, will undergo free surgeries at the Aalo general hospital, officials said.