NELLORE: Vice-President M Venkaiah Naidu dedicated Tej Kohli Cornea Institute’s Eye Care Helpline, Call Netra, to the nation. Tej Kohli Cornea Institute of LV Prasad Eye Institute launched Call Netra with a toll free No 18002002211 at a programme in Venkatachalam on Friday to provide quality eye care advice and referral support to patients. Anyone with an eye problem can call the number to receive expert advice and locate the nearest eye care provider.
“In most parts of rural Andhra Pradesh, people who require eye care often suffer from poor accessibility, lack of infrastructure and availability of healthcare system. Non-availability of expert advice leads to inadequate diagnosis and thus results in delay in seeking a solution,” explained Dr Jagadesh Reddy, faculty, Tej Kohli Cornea Institute.
Explaining the working of Call Netra, Dr Reddy said that the centre would provide awareness about eye diseases among the rural populace and anyone can receive first-level medical advice by dialling the toll-free number. “The caller will be provided details of the nearest eye care providers in their area. Nellore and Prakasam districts are the first ones to have this facility and this will be later extended to the entire Andhra Pradesh and Telangana,” he said.
Ramam Atmakuri, Executive Vice-Chair, LV Prasad Eye Institute, said: “Though there are treatment options available for many diseases at secondary and tertiary centres, patients continue to suffer due to non-availability of a proper referral system.”