People from different walks of life, including medical professionals, teachers, students and social health activists, took out an awareness rally, Walk for Sight, in Hubballi on Tuesday as part of 38th National Eye Donation Fortnight.
Walk for Sight rally was taken out from Karnataka Institute of Medical Sciences (KIMS) and Hospital to M.M. Joshi Eye Institute at Hosur in Hubballi. The walk was part of the awareness programme under the National Eye Donation Fortnight which is held from August 25 to September 8.
Director of KIMS Ramalingappa Antaratani, film actor Naveen Shankar, Deputy Commissioner of Police Raveesh C.R., chairman of HASS Govind Joshi, managing director of Swarnaa Group of Companies V.S.V Prasad and others flagged off the rally.
They were joined by many other professionals and eminent personalities, including Kalasurmath (DPM, DBCS, Dharwad), Vijayalakshmi Biradar (THO), Eshwar Hosamani (Principal, KIMS), and others.
Addressing the participants, Dr. Naveen Shankar highlighted the significance of eye donation and said that by pledging to donate one’s eyes after death, one could provide light to visually impaired people.
Mr. Prasad emphasised the need for extensive awareness campaigns for sensitising people on eye donation. Only a mass movement can help in reducing the number of corneal blindness cases, he said.
Dr. Antaratani and Mr. Raveesh too called upon the people to pledge their eyes.
Ophthalmic surgeons and directors of M.M. Joshi Eye Institute Guruprasad, K.V. Satyamurthy, Krishnaprasad and Srinivas M. Joshi, director of SGM Eye Bank Aniket N. Shastri and others led the awareness rally.
Holding placards and banners highlighting the significance of eye donation and issues related to eye problems, the participants covered the distance from KIMS to M.M. Joshi Eye Institute on foot.
Members of Rotary Club, Lions Club, students from various educational institutions, Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHAs) and members of non-governmental organisations actively took part in the awareness rally.
