Blindness Program

7/29/2019 Blindness Program

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National programme for

the control of blindness


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Introduction:

In 1976, National programme for control of

blindness (NPCB) was formally launchedand included in Prime Ministers 20 pointDevelopment programme andincorporates the earliest trachoma controlprogramme started in 1968. The ultimategoal of the national programme is toreduce blindness in the country from 1.4%

to 0.3% by 2000 AD, and to providecomprehensive eye care through PromaryHealth Care.


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Major landmarks in the history of blindness control activitiesin India in chronological order can be briefly

National Trachoma control programme was launched in1963 to prevent and control blinding trachoma.

A survey was under-taken by ICMR in 1971-1974 toidentify main cause of blindness.

A comprehensive National Programme for control ofblindness was launched in 1976 with the goal ofreducing prevalence of blindness to 0.3% by 2000 AD.

DANIDA agreed to assist NPCB since 1978 (phase-I)

DANIDA phase III project was launched in 1997-98 Mid-term evaluation of worked bank project in 1997-98

indicated marginal ( 10-15%) fail in prevalence and lackof follow up services.


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Epidemiological features of Blindness in India

The main causes of blindness are already statedwill include:

-Cataract

-Refractive errors

-Exophthalmia and childhood blindness

Other emerging causes include:

-Glaucoma

-Anterior segment infections-Age related diabetic retinopathy

-Injuries macular degeneration


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Cataract:

-Cataract is a major problem in India and occurs

much earlier than in the developed countries.-Cataract is the commonest cause of blindness in

the country.

-It is curable through a simple surgical operationwhich restores vision of the patient.

Refractive errors and Low Vision:

Blindness due to refractive errors suggests that

eye care services in general are inadequate.


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Xerophthalmia ant childhood blindness:

- All families consider children as their most

precious asset. A blind child is a major tragedyfor families and communities.

- A child whose blindness would have been

prevented or cured is an even greater loss and

tragedy.

Trachoma and Corneal Blindness:

- Trachoma is one of the oldest recorded disease

of mankind.- Corneal disease resulting in corneal scarring is

also a common cause of blindness.


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Factors causing Blindness:

While blindness can afflict anyone, these aresome who are affected more than others. The

major contributing factors are: Age

Gender

Poverty

Social InequalityAgeing and blindness:

Age specific prevalence of blindness and visualimpairment in the over 60 years age group is

68,000 blind per million population in developingcountries as compared to 750 blind per million inchildren.


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Gender and blindness:

- Women bear approximately two-third of

the burden of blindness in the world.

- Trachoma is more common in women,

since women and older girls are primary

childcare providers and acquire activetrachoma from young children.

- In many societies women live longer than

men and therefore suffer more frequentlyfrom age related eye diseases or

blindness.


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Objectives:

- Thus, WHO has concluded that blindness

prevention programmes are an investment witha high rate of return.

- WHO has set 2020 as the target year of achieve

Global Elimination of Trachoma India, Myanmar

and Nepal in the South East Asian region have

been identified as areas of programme activity.

- Presently, the goal set to be achieved under the

National programme for control of blindness is toreduce the prevalence of blindness from 1.49%

to 0.3%.


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Objectives fixed to be attained under the NationalProgramme for control of Blindness are asfollows:

1. Develop eye care infrastructure through outthe country. Increase institutional capacity foreye care.

2. Expand coverage to underserved areas.3. Decentralisation to district level.

4. Human resource development for eye care atall levels.

5. Improvement in quality of eye care for bettervisual outcome.

6. Secure participation of non-government andprivate sector.


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Organizational Structure of the Programme.

At the national level, a national programme management

cell has been established in the directorate General ofhealth Services(DGHS), Department of Health in theMinistry of Health and family welfare.

NPCB

At the State level

At the district levelNational Bodies for NPCB:

National Blindness control Board

National programme co-ordination committee.

National Technical Advisory Committee.At State Level:

The programme is being implemented at the state levelthrough the state governments. A state programme cellis already in place for which five posts including that of a

Joint Director(NPCB) are in existence.


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At District level:

The scheme of setting up a District Blindness ControlSociety in each district of the country was launched in the

year 1994-95.Composition of DBCS:

Members:

-Medical superintendent / Civil surgeon of district hospital

-District Education officers.-Project Director DRDA/ ITDA

-Ophthalmic surgeon of mobile eye Unit

-District Mass Media / IEC officer

At the sub district level:At the block level and ophthalmic assistant is posted towork under the overall supervision of the medical officer-In-charge. This is the last level where a designed worker

for eye care has been provided in the health system.

Blindness Program

Documents

Transcript of Blindness Program