Basti Dawakhanas to offer diabetic retinopathy tests

Hyderabad: Pushpagiri Vitreo Retina Institute (PVRI), a not-for-profit super specialty eye hospital, is to commission Diabetic Retinopathy Screening Cameras at primary health centers (PHCs) to reduce avoidable blindness due to diabetes in Telangana. These will be installed in collaboration with Ministry of Health and Family welfare, Government of Telangana, on November 14 coinciding with World Diabetes Day.

1. All the known diabetics visiting Basti Dawakhanas will be screened for diabetic retinopathy using the Fundus cameras.
2. These cameras are enabled by the Artificial Intelligence (AI) developed by Microsoft
3. The photograph will be viewed by the retinal expert (ophthalmologist) at the base hospital
4. Necessary advice or recommendations will be made via a Cloud-enabled software.
5. All identified patients with DR will be referred to nearest tertiary eye care center for further needful course of action

R Govind Hari, Chairman of PVRI, said, "The objective is to reduce the burden of avoidable blindness due to Diabetes in Telangana." Each Fundus Camera costs Rs 5 lakh. PVRI will be installing five on November 14 and another five by the end of the month. Five more would be installed in Ranga Reddy district. Very soon these facilities will be extended to other PHCs across Telangana, said an official.

Diabetes is a growing challenge in India with estimated 8.7% diabetic population in the age group of 20-70 years. This rising prevalence of diabetes is due to various factors such as rapid urbanisation, sedentary lifestyles, unhealthy diet and increased life expectancy. Diabetic retinopathy is a micro vascular complication of uncontrolled diabetes which affects the eye and leads to blindness.

It affects nearly 18% of the diabetic population in India and right now India is battling with this emerging epidemic condition. Sadly 1 in 2 people are unaware of this condition because the initial stages of diabetic retinopathy often have known symptoms. Around 60-70% of the condition can be easily prevented with timely screening and early intervention. Lack of awareness and lack of infrastructure and trained personal at the health centers in India are accounting for increase in number of people losing sight due to diabetic retinopathy.

The data from recently concluded Kantivelugu programme, a massive universal eye screening programme initiated by the Government of Telangana, revealed that around 8-10% of the population in Telangana are suffering from diabetic retinopathy and predominantly a majority of the people with DR belong to lower socio-economic strata. Therefore, in light of this fact, PVRI in collaboration with the state government has started this programme.

EYE-OPENING DATA

1. According to Kanti Velugu data, 8-10% of population in Telangana is suffering from diabetic retinopathy
2. A majority of them are from lower socio-economic strata
3. Diabetes is a growing challenge in India with estimated 8.7% diabetic population in the age group of 20-70 years
4. Diabetic retinopathy affects nearly 18% of the diabetic population in India