Pledges donation of his both eyes

SRINAGAR: Principal Government Medical College Anantnag, Dr (Prof) Tariq Syed Qureshi on Wednesday received an award of appreciation from Vice Chancellor of Kashmir University, Dr Nilofar Khan here at Gandhi Bhavan. The appreciation was given for his outstanding performance in starting “corneal transplant surgeries” and for the establishment of an “eye bank” in Government Medical College Srinagar in July 2017.
About a record 154 cases of corneal transplant surgeries were performed from July 2017 to March 2020. Earlier, such cases would be either referred to Delhi or Chandigarh and each corneal transplant surgery would cost more than one lakh rupees.
The then-established facility is a boon for the general public at large and especially it has eased the misery of poor and needy patients who would otherwise remain visionless for want of Corneal transplants.
Speaking on the occasion, Principal GMC Anantnag, Dr (Prof) Tariq Syed Qureshi gave a detailed overview of the corneal transplant surgeries in Kashmir and the need for eye donation. He enumerated the diseases where a corneal transplant is the only choice of treatment.
He further emphasized the audience to donate eyes so that needy patients are well-treated and they get back their vision. He gave the slogan ‘ Let Your Eyes See Even After The Death’.
Owing to a large number of patients in need of Keratoplasty, eye donation is not proportionate in Kashmir, thereby increasing the waiting list day by day. He announced his will for “donation of both of his eyes” and pledged that my eyes should be donated and transplanted in GMC Srinagar after his death.
“Unless and until, we ourselves become an example of organ donation, the common people will not come forward for the same,” Dr Qureshi said. His will and pledge for eye donation were widely appreciated by the audience and it will definitely motivate and encourage the general public for organ donation henceforth, said Dr Owais H Dar, Media Coordinator, GMC Anantnag.

KR Desk