June 25, 2006	Sunday	Jumadi-ul-Awwal 28, 1427

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ISLAMABAD, June 24: Health Minister Mohammad Nasir Khan on Saturday said due to efforts made by the government the prevalence of blindness has decreased in the country.

Speaking at a seminar on “National programme for prevention and control of blindness”, he said a survey on blindness and low vision during 2002-04 conducted by his ministry had revealed that despite increase in population the prevalence of blindness had come down from 1.78 per cent to 1 per cent. Pakistan is now at number 10 in the Eastern Mediterranean region, he added.

The minister said about two-third of the 1.5 million blind people in the country were women. He said Punjab had 0.9 million people blind followed by 0.3 million in Sindh, 0.18 million in Balochistan and 0.005 million in the NWFP.

The main causes of blindness were cataract, 53 per cent; scarring of cornea, 14 per cent; glaucoma, 7 per cent; refractive errors, 3 per cent, and macular degeneration 2 per cent.

The national survey on blindness and low vision was commissioned to determine the prevalence, magnitude and causes of blindness in the country in order to prepare an evidence-based national eye care plan, he added.

The ministry has constituted a committee and asked it to prepare a national plan for the prevention and control of blindness (2005-10) based on the results of the survey and to achieve the Millennium Development Goals towards poverty alleviation, Mr Khan said.

He said the plan was examined by the ministry and was subsequently approved by the planning commission and Ecnec.

The Rs2.74 billion plan would save over two million people from blindness, the minister said, adding that sight of two million people including one million women would be restored.

According to the plan, 63 district eye units and 147 tehsil eye units would be upgraded and strengthened, refraction and low vision services in 63 district eye units would be established, besides upgrading 20 tertiary teaching eye departments and developing seven centres of excellence.

The plan also envisages training of 50,000 primary health care workers, 100 community ophthalmologists and over 600 middle level eye care personnel, development of capacity in research at seven centres of excellence and a framework for delivery of vision 2020 up to the district and tehsil levels.