I congratulate Sankara Nethralaya Academy
As per the Rapid assessment of Blindness survey conducted
in 2006-07, about one percent of our population is suffering from
blindness. The National Programme for
the Control of Blindness, started in the year 1976, seeks to reduce this
prevalence of blindness to 0.3 per cent through identification and treatment of
blind, developing human resource for this purpose, improving quality of service
delivery and securing participation of voluntary organisations in eye care.
However, government’s initiatives alone are not sufficient and need to be
supplemented by doctors, private hospitals, non-governmental organizations and
self help groups. All the stakeholders have to collectively strive to
light a ray of hope in the lives of those who live in darkness.
I congratulate Sankara
Nethralaya Academy
for rendering yeomen service for combating blindness in India
In our society, visual impairment is largely looked upon
as a disability of an individual. I firmly believe that the differently abled
persons have unique abilities and are as capable as anyone else but it is the
social prejudices, structures and practices which inhibit them from realizing
their full potential. Therefore, we have to transform our mindsets and focus on
creating a conducive environment for them to achieve excellence. Reorientation
of laws and policies, together with a change in societal attitudes towards the
visually impaired, is the need of the hour.
I am confident that today’s deliberations on ‘Combating
Blindness in India
Thank you.
