400 MBBS, AYUSH Practitioners to be hired for Eye Screening Programme in Telangana

The recruitment would be done on a temporary basis to assist eye specialists for a period of six months and a monthly sum of Rs 30,000 will be provided to these practitioners.

Hyderabad: The state government has decided to recruit over 400 unemployed MBBS and AYUSH (Ayurveda, Yoga, Unani, Siddha, Homeopathy) medical practitioners to assist eye specialists working in its state-wide eye screening programme "Kanti Velugu".

The move has been taken so that the functioning of the government hospitals is not hindered due to manpower issues .

The recruitment will be done on a temporary basis to assist eye specialists for a period of six months and a monthly sum of Rs 30,000 will be provided to these practitioners.

“Eligible candidates would be selected directly and would be paid a monthly salary of Rs 30,000 for which necessary approvals were issued by the Finance Ministry” an official in the Health Department confirmed to the local daily Telangana Today.

“Unemployed qualified doctors will be roped in to participate in the eye camps. We will also take up the appointment of paramedical staff on a temporary basis,” the official added.

The Health Department has already issued necessary guidelines in this regard to the District Medical and Health Officers (DMHOs). These officers have also issued notifications inviting applications from eligible candidates and unemployed MBBS/AYUSH graduates to work in teams for the programme.

The employment will be for six months period starting from August 15, the day when the scheme will be launched by Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao across the state, adds the daily.

Around 799 teams, each comprising of an MBBS doctor, an optometrist, ANM and others have been constituted to conduct eye tests. After initial screening by these teams, needy patients will be referred to the government hospitals for necessary treatment.

The government has also identified about 114 government and private eye hospitals to perform surgeries on needy patients. Necessary eye drops, medicines, 34 lakhs spectacles have been kept ready and will be dispatched to the districts.

Kanti Velugu programme

The state government has initiated this programme to conduct Universal eye screening for vision problems by covering the entire population across Telangana.

The programme aims to achieve Avoidable Blindness Free Telangana. 30% - 40% population in Telangana is estimated to be suffering from eye related diseases/disorders.