Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Mar 16: The Corneal Transplantation is expected to start soon in Government Medical College (GMC) Jammu as the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has awarded the Department of Ophthalmology, GMC Jammu with registration of its Eye Bank, Corneal Transplant and Retrieval Facility under the Transplantation of Human Organs Act & Tissues Act 1994, THOTA.
The registration has been granted for five years. Speaking on occasion, Dr Shashi Sudhan Sharma, Principal and Dean, GMC Jammu attributed this achievement to the sincere efforts of Dr Satish Gupta, Head Ophthalmology Department, Dr Shazia Wafai, Senior Regional Director, H&FW, Government of India and Dr Sanjeev Puri, Joint Director, SOTTO (J&K) and his team.
“With the establishment of corneal transplant centre, it will be easy for our people to get transplants in Jammu without waiting for long,” the Principal said while adding that the Ophthalmology Department of the Institution is well-prepared to start corneal transplantation again.
It is pertinent to mention that a three-member experts’ team from Director General Health Services, Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare had inspected the Eye Bank, Corneal Transplantation and Retrieval facility in the month of February in the Department of Ophthalmology as per the prescribed parameters of Government of India under the THOTA, 1994.
Earlier, GMC Jammu had got the provisional registration from the Licensing Authority of Directorate of Health Services, Jammu under the J&K Transplantation of Human Organ Act, 1997. The Department has already conducted 21 corneal transplants but after conversion of J&K State to Union Territory, the Department had to apply for a new registration to DGHS, New Delhi through State Organ and Tissue Transplant Organization (SOTTO) J&K.
Now, when the DGHS has registered Eye Bank, Corneal Transplant and Retrieval Facility of GMC Jammu, this will open up facility for eye donation and corneal transplant for the people at GMC Jammu.
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