PESHAWAR, May 20: The government has started a project to ascertain the number of eye ailment cases in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata).

The two-year project “Comprehensive Eye Care Service” will be completed at a cost of Rs111 million.

Project manager Dr Zaman Khattak said the plan was aimed at devising a strategy to cope with the problem and cure eye diseases in Fata.

Speaking at a workshop for doctors on Saturday, he said that most of eye-related problems were preventable, but lack of awareness and health facilities had exacerbated the problem.

“Under the project, we are in process of conducting a study on the incidence of child blindness in Fata.

And a school for blind will be set up in the area,” he said.He said that Rs1 million had been allocated for mobile eye care services.

Fata director-general (health) Dr Zubair Khan said that the government had started 12 programmes for tribal areas that would improve the healthcare system.