The role of teachers in identifying vision impairments in school students is quite laudable in Salem district, said Collector J. Chandrakumar.

Inaugurating the special eye care training camp for school teachers, organised by the Salem Branch of Indian Medical Association and District Society for Prevention of Eye Sight here on Tuesday, the Collector pointed out that since the start of the Kalaignar Kannoli Kappom Thittam, launched in 2009-2010, the district had imparted training to teachers in 570 schools.

Trained teachers carried out screening for 1.43 lakh students of which 8848 students had vision problems. They were given spectacles.

“The role of school teachers in Salem district is great since they have done a sincere work for the welfare of their students,” Mr. Chandrakumar said and added that the district would soon distribute spectacles to students studying in Classes VI and X.

The eyes of Ishwarya of Attur, who died in an accident, had restored vision in two persons, he pointed out.

He asked the teachers to make people aware of the importance of eye donation. “The eyes of those who die either naturally or in accidents should be donated and awareness should be created in villages,” he further pointed out.

IMA President Dr. P. Mannar Mannan, Joint Directors of Health Dr. M. Gnanasekaran, Deputy Director of Health Dr. Nirmalson and Dr. K. Arunagiri, Government Hospital Ophthalmologist Dr. S. Cholamahadevi and others participated.

Earlier inaugurating in a State-level training session for women members of self-help groups attached to Aavin at Ayothiapattinam, he said that women members must start small and medium enterprises to improve their economic status in life. Salem Aavin general Manager M. Rajarathinam and others took part.

He also distributed shields to women co-operative milk societies for good performances.

Source: THE HINDU