Eye bank at GMCH-J to be functional soon

JKMSCL places order for equipments

JAMMU: After missing several deadlines, the much-hyped Eye Bank in Jammu may be functional soon as the authorities have initiated the process of procuring essential instruments, required for conducting surgeries.

However, the building of Eye Bank is ready at Government Medical College and Hospital (GMC&H) in Jammu with the basic infrastructure.

Sources informed The News Now, “Jammu & Kashmir Medical Supplies Corporation Limited (JKMSCL) has shortlisted the firm dealing in vital medical equipments and placed the order for the early supply of instruments, which is expected any time soon”.

They added that earlier the several firms as well as manufacturing companies in the country, who supply quality medical equipments, came forward but failed to fulfill the criteria set by the JKMSCL.

“We started the procurement process as per the request made by the Eye Department of GMC&H,” Shiv Kumar Gupta, Managing Director, JKMSCL, confirmed.

“The process is over and order stands placed,” Gupta said, adding, “Hopefully, the supply of equipments would be made in a stipulated time by the manufacturing firm.”

Admitting that there was unwanted delay, Gupta said that now the order of equipments for making the Eye Bank operational has been placed with a firm.

He added that after the supply, the further process would be taken up by the experts and doctors of the concerned department of the GMC&H.

The list of equipments required for the Eye Bank comprised of 29 different items including Specular Microscope, Eye Bank Specular Microscope, Corneal Topography System, Surgical Microscope, Surgical Microscope II, Radiated Dry Heat Sterilization Chamber, Work Station, Medical Autoclave Steriliser, Portable USB B-Scan, Portable USB A-Scan, APC Line Interactive UPS, Vitrectomy Surgery Advances Technology, Vision System, High Power Photocoagulator, HD OCT Imaging, Optical Biometer, YAG III, A Scan Biometer, Cataract Set, Vision Drums, Trial Sets, Streak Retinoscopes, Operating Tables, Ophthalmic Chair Unit, Microscope Cornea, Automatic Lensometer, Keratoplasty sets, Slit Lamp Model B and Laminar Air Flow Bench.

Eye Bank will be established on the directions of Jammu & Kashmir High Court passed in the year 2012 in response to a huge public demand. The Court also directed for opening up a similar Eye Bank at GMC&H Srinagar, which was made functional within the set time period,” they added.

The Eye Bank at GMCH Jammu was approved by the then government in 2016 but it got the license for cornea transplant in the month of February 2018.

The Government has released Rs. 130.95 Lakh for this purpose and Rs. 70 Lakh were issued to JKMSCL for purchase of equipments.

Updated On 4/4/2019 11:28:37 AM