Ranchi: On the occasion of 38 national eye donation fortnight, Blindfolded Run for Vision, was today organised at the Birsa Munda Athletics Stadium at Khelgaon, Ranchi. 

Jharkhand Governor, C.P.Radhakrishnan, Banna Gupta, state health minister and Sanjay Seth, M.P. Ranchi, flagged off the blindfolded run for vision. Hundreds of sports enthusiasts from Ranchi-based Ursuline Convent School and Sports Academy, along with eminent people participated. 

The highlights of today's Run for Vision was that hundreds of youths and eminent men from all walks of life, participated blindfolded to spread out the message that through cooperation of all, the curse of preventable blindness could be won handsomely. 

The winners were felicitated by Banna Gupta, state health minister and Sanjay Seth, Ranchi MP. 

"Over the past 21 years, Kashyap Memorial Eye Bank, Ranchi has been organising annual Run for Vision and Blindfolded Marathons since 2018,to promote and spread the message of importance of eye donations. 

*To spread awareness on importance of eye donations, Blindfolded Run for Vision is being held at Ranchi over the past 6 years 

* Hundreds of youths, and people from all walks of life participated in the Blindfolded Run for Vision 

* Till date, Kashyap Memorial Eye Bank, Ranchi, has performed 806 cornea transplants 

*Over the past 5 years, figure of cornea transplants have gone upto 346 

*Beginning 2022, 159 cornea transplants done 

*12 families, who have donated the eyes of their dear ones , were today felicitated by Governor C.P.Radhakrishnan  

The then Governor, Jharkhand, Smt.Droupadi Murmu, during her tenure, had also participated in our programmes for 5 years in a row and had even been pleased to pledge her eyes with Kashyap Memorial Eye Bank, Ranchi, to boost the campaign for eye donations. 

“We have already performed 806 cornea transplants do far and beginning 2018, the Eye Bank has performed 159 cornea transplants against a target of 150 for Jharkhand in 2022-23. We have a long list of patients waiting for cornea transplants, though posthumous eye donations locally, are few in numbers. For this reason, networking amongst local eye banks is the need of the hour," Dr.Bharti Kashyap, medical director, Kashyap Memorial Eye Bank, Ranchi, said. 

Jharkhand Governor, C.P.Radhakrishnan said," During our lifetime, we need to help others. However it would be a divine act, if we could endeavour to give the gift of sight to people suffering from corneal blindness.”

He was full of praise for the efforts of Kashyap Memorial Eye Bank and Eye Donation Awareness Club to spread awareness on eye donation amongst the people.  

Health minister, Banna Gupta, stressed," Against a target of 150, Kashyap Memorial Eye Bank, Ranchi, during 2022-23, has performed 159 transplants. However Jharkhand is not being given due credit as corneas are being outsourced through cornea distribution system. 

Hence coordination amongst local eye banks need to be established. Ranchi MP, Sanjay Seth said that the need of the hour is a spurt in full-body donations. Recently, a member of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad donated his body setting a great precedence. 

Jharkhand health secretary, Arun Kumar Singh said that performance of state government-run eye banks is much below expectations, though non-government eye banks, like Kashyap Memorial Eye Bank, have performed 159 cornea transplants, more than the 150 target fixed. 

Singh added that the State Organ Transplantation Organisation, needs to be revamped. 

What is Blindfolded Run: Participants run in pairs in which the eyes of one participant is blindfolded, Partners are needed to coordinate their movements to send out the message that the society could benefit only through mutual consultations and coordination.