“It is essential for science and technology to enrich medical diagnosis and intervention,” said Dr K Radhakrishnan, chairman of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) at the inauguration of the first international conference on ‘Gene therapy in ophthalmology in India’ at Narayana Nethralaya on Thursday.
It was necessary to connect medicine and technology so that specialised healthcare could reach people in remote areas, he said. “Patients in need of eye care in the north-eastern region of the country will now get detection and treatment facilities from city doctors with the help of tele-ophthalmology being set up by Narayana Nethralaya in collaboration with ISRO,” Radhakrishnan said.
“We will first start this project in the north-east and then gradually extend it to other regions,” he said.
Initially, the facility would be provided in six districts of northern Karnataka under the National Rural Health Mission.
“Two technicians will be trained in this to help detect retinal problems early,” said Dr Anand Vinekar, paediatric retinal surgeon, Narayana Nethralaya.
He said the government was considering including Retinopathy of Prematurity under the Yashaswini scheme.
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