Published: 13th September 2014 06:02 AM
KOCHI : If you come across any person who is in need of a cataract surgery, but could not undergo it for want of money, what you have to do is just contact ‘Kazhcha 2020’ using its hotline number.
Kazhcha is an initiative that aims to eliminate curable blindness by 2020 by conducting free surgeries. So far, 110 cataract surgeries have been conducted under this project, which had been officially launched by the Chief Minister a week ago. Sight is restored by means of micro incision cataract surgery (Cataract extraction surgery with only 1.8 mm incision). It is for the first time in the state that such a surgery is being done free of cost.
The surgery takes about 15 minutes and the patient can go home after one hour. His/her daily routine will not be disrupted. The venture was launched under the aegis of Dr Tony Fernandez eye hospital, Aluva, actor Mammooty and Yoshua Charitable Trust, Angamaly.
The project was launched taking a cue from the success of a similar project which had been launched in Little Flower hospital at Angamali around eight years ago.
“I used to work there, then. The project was on for around two years. Recently, actor Mammootty asked us to think of reviving the project. When help poured in from all quarters, we decided to launch it,” said Dr Tony Fernandez, chairman of Dr Tony Fernandez eye hospital.
The hospital received more than 1,000 applications through its hotline number - 04842346445/46 in the last three days.
A mobile application has also been launched in this regard.
A mobile application has also been launched in this regard.
A V Sasi, who has benefited from the operation, said that the project is a breather.
“It was my friend who registered me under it. Prior to it, I had approached another hospital but could not undergo surgery as it was too expensive,” he said.
Every surgeries under the project are carried out in Palarivattom. Patients come from Kottayam, Alappuzha, Ernakulam, Idukki and Thrissur districts. To cater to more people, satellite centres will be opened across the state.
“These centres will have every facilities that needed to perform micro incision cataract surgery,” he said. The first one was opened at Kasargode. Steps are on to start the second centre at Kollam. “This will enable the venture to reach those in South Kerala,” said Jibin George, Centre head at Dr Tony Fernandez eye hospital.
Besides this, Mammotty fan’s associations across the state will play a predominant role in identifying and checking the veracity of the patients.
Not only the surgery but also the medicines are offered free of cost. The project also aims at providing free services for corneal transplants and retinal diseases. “These are costly operations. But we want to offer it free of cost to the potential patients in the days to come,” said Dr Fernandez.
He added that the project aims at screening more than 25 lakh persons and performing 50,000 cataract surgeries.
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