New hope: Camp to restore eyesight of 13 kids

Kanpur: In a significant initiative aimed at improving the lives of visually impaired children, an eye screening camp held at the Kanpur School for the Blind identified 13 children whose eyesight could potentially be restored through surgery. The camp examined a total of 105 children, offering new hope to those who have never experienced sight.

Among the children identified for possible vision-restoring procedures are Harsh (Class 1), Shiv Shankar (Class 2), and Naitik and Keshav Dubey (Class 4).

The camp was organised under the aegis of the district administration in collaboration with the Rotary Club of Kanpur Surya and JCI. Expert doctors conducted detailed eye examinations, focusing on children suffering from congenital blindness.

Addressing the gathering as the chief guest, the district magistrate said that the initiative goes beyond routine screening, aiming to identify children who can benefit from medical intervention. He emphasised that the effort, supported by the medical department, the Department for Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities, and social organisations, could be expanded on a larger scale if successful. He also assured full administrative support for the programme.

Senior ophthalmologist Dr Shalini Mohan informed that the selected children will undergo further detailed evaluations, followed by surgeries as required. She added that regular health check-ups would be conducted at the school every 15 days by a team of ophthalmologists and paediatricians.

Chief Development Officer Abhinav Jain, who attended the camp on his first day in office, described the initiative as impactful and assured his full cooperation in its implementation.

After the event, officials visited the school premises, reviewed the available facilities, and appreciated the ongoing efforts for the welfare and development of the children.