Delhi: '2,88,100 patients treated at AIIMS' eye centre despite pandemic'

New Delhi: Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, a total of 2,88,100 patients were treated at AIIMS Dr Rajendra Prasad Centre for Ophthalmic Sciences in 2021, an official has said.

Chief of RP Centre Dr J S Titiyal said 32,180 indoor admissions were performed and 32,885 eye surgeries were conducted during the pandemic.

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"Specifically, emergency eye services including surgeries were provided throughout the year, even during the peak of the pandemic.

"The Centre's community outreach services conducted 17 primary eye care clinics that catered to 30,046 patients residing in urban slum clusters," he said.

Titiyal said a total of 2,88,100 patients were seen in the OPD, speciality clinics, and emergency.

He said, in addition, 17 diabetic retinopathy screening camps were organised and 1,027 patients benefitted from free cataract surgery at the RPC.

"The second wave of COVID-19 pandemic had an adverse effect on all aspects of ophthalmic care including the eye banking services.

"During the past year, The National Eye Bank, AIIMS, collected 778 corneal tissues and a total of 670 corneal transplantation surgeries were performed," Titiyal said.

He said the RP Centre Paediatric High Dependency Unit was restructured to function throughout the pandemic in accordance with the COVID safety norms.

"The HDU provided critical supportive care to preterm babies and infants receiving laser treatment for retinopathy of prematurity, and surgical intervention for paediatric cataract and congenital glaucoma.

"This year, we have augmented the manpower to initiate 24X7 services for these patients who require intensive care," he added.

Dr Rajendra Prasad Centre for Ophthalmic Sciences, AIIMS, New Delhi, celebrated its 55th annual foundation day on Thursday.

The Centre is recognised as the top ophthalmic centre under the National Programme for Control of Blindness and Visual Impairment (NPCB & VI).

It is also an important World Health Organization (WHO) collaboration centre and is recognised as a premier super-speciality institute with state-of-the-art equipment and world-class facilities for patient care, teaching, and research.

The Centre also has the largest ophthalmic residency training programme in the world.

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