Prez calls for removal of 'avoidable blindness'

Hyderabad, Feb 1 (UNI) President A P J Abdul Kalam today urged the ophthalmologists, optometrists, technoligists and NGOs to join hands in removing 'avoidable blindness' in the country.

Addressing the 65th annual meeting of the All India Opthalmolological Society, Hyderabad, the President said during the last seventy seven years the society made significant contribution to eye care missions.

Dr Kalam said the country, with 15,000 ophthalmologists, was strong in eye care and allied treatments.

He lauded the efforts of the eye care community in reducing some of the common blindness problems during the last two decades and expressed hope that India would be free of 'avoidable blindness' by 2020.

UNI