Vision 2020: India's Struggle to Bridge the Eyecare Gap

A survey by AIIMS reveals a significant shortage of ophthalmologists in India, with only one available for every 65,000 people. The study, led by Dr. Praveen Vashist, highlights uneven distribution of eyecare services across regions, emphasizing the need for strengthened infrastructure and human resources to achieve Vision 2020 targets.

A recent survey conducted by AIIMS, Delhi, has brought to light the stark disparity in the availability of ophthalmologists across India, with the country averaging just one specialist for every 65,000 individuals.

With an existing team of 20,944 ophthalmologists and 17,849 optometrists operating at secondary and tertiary levels, the nation falls short of the Vision 2020 initiative's goal of having 25,000 ophthalmologists and 48,000 hospital-based paramedics. The study, spearheaded by Dr. Praveen Vashist from AIIMS, sought to assess the current human resources and infrastructure dedicated to ophthalmic care.

Findings reveal a significant imbalance in service distribution, with Southern and Western states better served than their Northern, Eastern, and Northeastern counterparts. While private sector eyecare facilities dominate, providing well-funded services like refractive surgeries, public and NGO sectors focus more on charitable services like eye banking. The report calls for an urgent overhaul of the Health Management Information System to improve eyecare workforce planning and emphasizes the need for increased professional and political support to enhance infrastructure and resources.

(With inputs from agencies.)