-Eye Donation Fortnight Launched at Madhav Netralaya; Initiative by Madhav Netralaya to Provide Advanced Eye Care Services in Karanja, Balaghat

Nagpur, 25 August (H.S.): Suresh Bhaiyyaji Joshi, a member of the Akhil Bharatiya Karyakarini of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), has said that an alternative term such as ‘eye pledge’ should be considered instead of ‘eye donation’. He suggested that ‘Eye Donation Pledge Fortnight’ would be a more appropriate term than ‘Eye Donation Fortnight’.

Speaking at the inauguration of Eye Donation Fortnight at Madhav Netralaya in Nagpur, Bhaiyyaji Joshi said people could donate wealth they had earned, knowledge they had acquired or possessions they owned. However, eyes and other organs are gifts bestowed upon human beings by God. Therefore, he said, it was worth considering whether the process of making a person’s eyes or organs available to someone in need after death should be described as ‘donation’.

The programme was attended by Nagpur AIIMS Director Dr Prashant Joshi, Pix Transmission Limited Director Joe Paul, Madhav Netralaya Vice-President Nikhil Mundley, Secretary Avinash Agnihotri, Major Bam, Bhau Saheb Deoras Seva Nyas, Karanja Secretary, and Hindusthan Samachar Chairman Arvind Mardikar, among others.

Bhaiyyaji Joshi said that incorrect words sometimes become established in everyday usage. Referring to terminology associated with physical disabilities, he said that language evolves with changing social understanding. He cited a verse from the abhangs of Sant Tukaram Maharaj and said the increasing use of the term ‘Divyang’ as an alternative was a welcome development.

He said the same principle could be applied to the expression ‘eye donation’. According to him, it is appropriate to describe the act of giving away self-earned possessions, wealth or knowledge to others as ‘daan’ or donation. However, human beings do not acquire their eyes or bodily organs through their own efforts; they are given to them at birth. Therefore, when, after a person’s death, the family makes the person’s eyes or organs available to someone in need in accordance with their prior wishes, the appropriateness of calling it ‘donation’ merits consideration.

He stressed that alongside creating public awareness about eye donation, it was also important to use terminology that properly conveyed the underlying concept. Against this backdrop, he said an alternative expression for ‘eye donation’ should be explored. He also pointed out that during the fortnight, eyes are not actually donated; rather, citizens take a pledge to donate their eyes.

Advanced Eye Care to Be Made Available in Karanja

Karanja, located in the Lanji tehsil of Madhya Pradesh’s Balaghat district, is the ancestral village of Balasaheb Deoras, the third Sarsanghchalak of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh. The Balasaheb Bhaurao Deoras Seva Nyas is currently active in the area.

Despite the availability of various facilities in the region, adequate infrastructure for the diagnosis and treatment of eye ailments has remained lacking. Madhav Netralaya has therefore undertaken an initiative to provide residents of Karanja and surrounding areas with eye screening and treatment facilities equipped with modern technology.

To facilitate this initiative, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between Madhav Netralaya and the Balasaheb Bhaurao Deoras Seva Nyas.

The MoU was signed by Avinash Agnihotri on behalf of Madhav Netralaya and Arvind Mardikar on behalf of the Balasaheb Bhaurao Deoras Seva Nyas. The initiative is expected to pave the way for residents of Karanja and neighbouring areas to access advanced eye-care services locally.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar