Addressing Eye Donation Challenges in Goa: The Need for a Functional Eye Bank

Understanding the Eye Donation Crisis in Goa

Goa has faced a significant challenge in eye donation availability as the state has lacked a functional eye bank for almost five years. After the state government decided not to renew the Rotary Club’s license to operate the Goa Eye Bank at Goa Medical College (GMC), the region has been without vital corneal donation services. Despite plans for a new eye bank at GMC, health officials indicate that infrastructure development is still incomplete.

Current Status of Eye Donation Facilities

• Two essential posts for operating the eye bank remain unfilled: eye donation counsellor and eye bank technician.
• As a result, Goa has had to decline numerous requests for corneal donation from grieving families.
• Private hospitals in Goa have arrangements to use eye banks in Bengaluru and Bhubaneswar but lack mechanisms for local corneal retrieval.

The Call for Action from Health Officials and NGOs

Dr. Preeti Varghese, a joint director at the State Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation (SOTTO), expressed concern about the ongoing absence of an eye bank. “It is quite embarrassing that GMC doesn’t have an eye bank,” she stated.

Organizations like the Rotary Club have worked tirelessly to promote corneal donation, with around 4,000 pledges made for posthumous corneal donations, yet frustration remains over the inability to facilitate these donations.

The Importance of Eye Donation Awareness

International advocates like Trevor Braganza, who spearheads initiatives through the Trust “Gift Your Eyes,” highlights the disappointment surrounding the lack of eye bank facilities in Goa. Awareness efforts must include establishing functional infrastructure so that citizens can effectively donate corneas.

This situation underscores the pressing need for prioritizing the establishment of an eye bank in Goa, ensuring that lives can be saved and improved through corneal transplants.