National Control of Blindness

The National Programme on control of Blindness has been implemented in India specifically to reduce the prevelance from 14 persons per 1000 population to 3 per 1000 population In Tamil Nadu at present the prevalence of blind persons is 2 per 1000 population The programme has been implemented by the Project Director, National Programme on control of blindness , New Delhi. The respective Joint Diretor of Health Services of the districts are implementing the program in the districts under the control of Director of Medical and Rural Health Services.

Objective

     » Reduce the backlog of blindness
     » Develop eye care facilities in every district
     » Develop human resources for providing eye care services
     » To improve quality of service delivery
     » To secure participation of voluntary organizations in eye care

The National Programme for Control of Blindness was launched in 1976 to prevent and reduce the prevalence of blindness in the country. It was extended and functioned as the Word Bank assisted Cataract Blindness Control Project till 30.6.2002. The scheme was then converted into a Centrally Sponsored Scheme and is funded as part of the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) from the year 2005-06.

The main objective of the programme is to reduce the prevalence of preventable blindness. Towards this goal, the Tamil Nadu State Blindness Control Society was formed as a separate entity from 1.4.1996. The Tamil Nadu State Blindness Control Society has been merged with the State Health Society after the implementation of NRHM in the state.

National Programme for Control of Blindness (NPCB) which was launched inthe year 1976 as a 100% centrally sponsored programme with the goal of achieving a prevalence rate of blindness to 0.3% of population.