INDIAN ASSISTANCE OF NRS.11.3 MILLION FOR EYE CARE IN NEPAL:10,000 CATARACT OPERATIONS TO BE CONDUCTED

A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) has been signed today between the Embassy of India in Nepal and the Nepal Netra Jyoti Sangh(NNJS) for cooperation in organising Eye Care Camps in the rural and remote areas of Nepal and thereby promoting eye-care facilities in such areas.

The Eye Care Camps are to be organised under the auspices of NNJS, a welfare oriented social organisation recognised and authorised by His Majesty's Government of Nepal and the Social Welfare Council in Nepal in the sphere of eye-care activities.

As per the MOU, Government of India will provide grant assistance of NRs.11.3 million to NNJS for conducting 10,000 cataract operations in Eye Care Camps to be organised by NNJS at various locations in Nepal between August 2005 and March 2006. This is in continuation of grant assistance amounting to NRs.30.51 million provided by Government of India to NNJS during the previous years 2001-02, 2002-03, 2003-04 2004-05 for conducting 27000 cataract operations in Eye Care Camps. NNJS has claimed that there is no post complaint and no failure rate on the cataract surgeries conducted by them with GOI assistance granted during the previous years. It has also been certified by NNJS that 90% of patients regained vision during the following week.