Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad   

Persuasive messiahs of light

HYDERABAD: Their eyes shine with hope when someone else’s shut for good. For, they are the messiahs of light for those condemned to darkness. Counsellors of L.V.Prasad Eye Institute posted at different hospitals in the city are doing yeomen service towards improving the world of the visually challenged.

Posted at strategic points such as mortuaries and emergency wards, their job is to coax, cajole and convince the attendants into donating eyes of the deceased to the Ramayamma International Eye Bank run by the institute.

“At times, our job becomes extremely difficult. There were instances when we were attacked by the kin of the dead. Many have a false notion that cornea removal will disfigure the body,” says A.Raghu, the eye-bank technician posted at the Nizam’s Institute of Medical Sciences.

Once a death is confirmed, interaction with the doctor concerned will reveal if the cornea is suitable for reuse. The next kin of the dead will, then, be approached.

“Once a person with positive vibes is chosen, we introduce ourselves and explain the purpose,” Raghu says and adds that only 30-40 per cent of the trials yield results.

The situation becomes tricky when relatives demand quid pro quo. There may be reasons other than poverty for this. “We had a very rich person asking for Rs. 1 lakh in exchange of his mother’s body,” says Raghu.

Some others quote religious reasons for their refusal. Though the police are largely sensitised, a few object when it is a medico-legal case. “Utility rate will be high in case of sudden deaths such as accidents and suicides. They also present difficult situations for counselling,” Raghu says.

Begun in 1990 as Hospital Cornea Retrieval Programme with 11 donations in a year, the counselling initiative has grown to 703 donations in 2006, says Aravind, the in-charge of the programme.

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