Centre to clear backlog of 10 million cataract surgeries over 3 years

The ministry has proposed to increase the number of cataract surgeries to be carried progressively across the country in the financial year 2022-23 to 7.5 million, 9 million in 2023-24, and 10.5 million in 2024-25: amounting to a total of 27 million of surgeries in the next three years.

New Delhi: The Centre will hold a special campaign starting June 1 to clear the backlog of at least 10 million cataract surgeries that was created in the past two years owing to the Covid-19 pandemic, according to a government statement.

During the Covid-19 period, in 2020-21, 36 lakh cataract surgeries were performed in the country while 57 lakh such surgeries were conducted in the 2021-22 fiscal, according to official data. (HT FILE PHOTO.)

The backlog is expected to be cleared over a period of 3 years with support to states under the national health mission.

According to an estimation based on national survey, the number of surgeries required to clear backlog of blindness due to cataract is 4.9 million while surgeries required to clear backlog of severe visual impairment due to cataract is 536.3 million.

Besides, the number of surgeries required to clear backlog from blindness and severe visual impairment is approximately 10.3 million.

“The Centre will provide all the requisite help to clear the backlog over the next 3 financial years,” said a senior government functionary, in the Union health ministry.

The ministry has proposed to increase the number of cataract surgeries to be carried progressively across the country in the financial year 2022-23 to 7.5 million, 9 million in 2023-24, and 10.5 million in 2024-25: amounting to a total of 27 million of surgeries in the next three years.

In the financial year 2017-18, 64 lakh cataract surgeries were performed while in 2018-19, 66 lakh and in 2019-20, 64 lakh cataract surgeries were performed.

During the Covid-19 period, in 2020-21, 36 lakh cataract surgeries were performed in the country while 57 lakh such surgeries were conducted in the 2021-22 fiscal, according to official data. The National Programme for Control of Blindness, started in 1963, was renamed the National Programme for Control of Blindness and Visual Impairment in 2017. The goal of the programme is to reduce the prevalence of blindness to 0.25% by 2025 from 1.4% in 2010.