Survey on blindness and eye ailments

Nadira GUNATILLEKE

The Health Ministry will conduct a survey on blindness and eye ailments in Sri Lanka this year with the assistance of World Health Organisation (WHO).

The main objective of the survey is to find out the exact number of blind persons in the country and the number of persons suffering from eye ailments, a Health Ministry spokesman said.

The spokesman said the ministry does not have the latest statistics on blind persons and eye ailments in Sri Lanka to implement eye care programmes and to conduct awareness programmes.

The Vision 2020 programme is being implemented in Sri Lanka to prevent blindness, he said.

The programme is aimed at eliminating the main causes of avoidable blindness by 2020 by facilitating planning, development and implementation of sustainable national eye care programmes based on the three core strategies of disease control, human resource development and infrastructure and technology, incorporating the principles of primary health care.

This will be achieved by mobilising the will and passion for action through advocacy and by mobilising resources, he said.

The national programmes have three main elements: cost-effective disease control, human resource development and infrastructure and technology.