More spectacles to be distributed under Kanti Velugu
HYDERABAD: Four months after it launched eye screening programme Kanti Velugu, the government has increased the number of prescription glasses being allotted to medical camps across the State to meet its increasing demand.
According to government data, 13,68,287 people were identified as in need of spectacles, but glasses could be delivered to just 2,99,468 so far.
Health Department officials TNIE spoke to said since the degree of myopia and hypermetropia could vary from person to person, custom lens have to be prepared and fitted to frame.
“Companies that have been given the deal to prepare the glasses take time to deliver the products as each one needs to be customized,” an official said.
District Medical and Health Officers (DMHO) said while 200 to 500 glasses used to be delivered in each batch earlier, the batch size has now been increased to 7,000 from mid-December.
“Earlier, we used to receive 500 prescription spectacles per spell, now it has increased to 7,000 per spell,” said Medchal-Malkajgiri’s district medical and health officer (DMHO) Dr N Narayana Rao.
In Medchal, 73,616 people were identified as in need of prescription glasses. Out of the 18,973 glasses dispatched to district officials, 16,773 were handed over to beneficiaries till Wednesday. Over 14,000 spectacles were distributed at a go in Yadadri on December 13.
To prevent irregularities, photo proof has to be submitted to officials concerned at every stage of delivery.
Photos of beneficiaries being handed over spectacles will be uploaded on a the Kanti Velugu website.