Asha Kirana vision care initiative reaches 1.4 crore people across State
GS2Polity · Governance · IR· Health policy & public health· Prelims·
Why in news
The State health department reported that the redesigned Asha Kirana initiative has reached 1.4 crore people to eliminate preventable visual impairment.
Background
Launched in July 2023, the Asha Kirana initiative operates under the National Programme for Control of Blindness and Visual Impairment (NPCBVI). It has established 393 permanent vision centers across district hospitals, taluk hospitals, and community health centres.
Facts for Prelims
- SchemeAsha Kirana: State initiative to eliminate preventable visual impairment.
- FactAsha Kirana reached 1.4 crore people for free eye screenings.
- Fact393 permanent vision centers established across district, taluk hospitals, and CHCs.
- BodyNPCBVI: National Programme for Control of Blindness and Visual Impairment.
- Intl. orgWHO: Recognized the Asha Kirana initiative for addressing cataracts and uncorrected refractive errors.
For Mains
Q. Examine how community-based healthcare models like Asha Kirana can effectively address the burden of preventable visual impairments in India.
Dimensions to cover in your answer
- Infrastructure gap: Integration of vision centers into existing primary healthcare facilities to ensure last-mile delivery
- Human resource utilization: Leveraging ASHA workers for screening to bypass specialist shortages in rural areas
- Public health synergy: Aligning state-level initiatives with the National Programme for Control of Blindness (NPCBVI)
Keywords: preventable visual impairment · community-based healthcare · last-mile delivery · public health infrastructure · NPCBVI
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