0
KARACHI, Sept 25: City Nazim Naimatullah Khan has decided to arrange eye test for more than 0.35 million schoolchildren in view of a report that more than 0.15 million blinds are in Karachi alone and blindness is spreading among children.
According to experts of the city government, it was revealed during a survey that there were a large number of blind children in Karachi, whose eyesight could be restored if properly treated.
Keeping in view the report, the City Nazim decided to arrange eye test for children of schools under the city government.
It was also decided that treatment would be provided to such children who are suffering from any form of eye diseases besides cataract, and that in future before declaring any child blind a certificate should be obtained from the city government.
Steps would be taken to reduce blindness by 20 per cent in future, besides training at least one teacher in each school on how to test eyesight for continuance of the test.
Desalination plant: The city district government is planning to set up a desalination plant in the coastal area of Karachi, City Nazim Naimatullah Khan said while talking to APP on Wednesday.
He pointed out that such a technology was available in Japan at comparatively cheaper rates.
Naimatullah Khan said he would hold negotiations with the representatives of the Japan External Trade Organization in this connection.
He stated that the desalination plant could be set up either at Clifton, Hawkesbay or Sandspit.
About the capacity of the plant, he said “it will depend on what we can afford.”
The Nazim said the project might be financed by the city government or we may find some investors for it.
“If we get the investors then we may set up three or four such plants,” he added.
Naimatullah Khan said we might also get the technology as well as investors from Japan.
EYECARE INSTITUTE: City Nazim Naimatullah Khan has said that the city government is keen to start a comprehensive plan for ophthalmology service in the city.
He was attending a briefing by Prof Ziauddin Sheikh, head of the ophthalmology department, Dow Medical College and Civil Hospital, and provincial coordinator for prevention and control of blindness on Wednesday.
The Nazim was briefed about prevalence of preventable causes of blindness, cataract being the leading one (73 per cent), while other treatable causes being 12 per cent.
The Nazim offered administrative help from the city government to operate plans in Karachi and discussed teachers’ training programme in schools, camp surgeries for poor citizens and community education to eradicate corruption in eyecare services.
The Nazim asked the officials to prepare a feasibility report for establishment of a standard “institute of ophthalmology”, to be run by an autonomous body under the city government.
He emphasized that health and quality education should be our top priorities and strong bases were needed to be laid down for the future, so that standard system could be built for our generations.—PPI/APP
