New Eye Bank at Patna Medical College Hospital from August

Patna: The eye bank scheduled to be opened on July 1 at Patna Medical College and Hospital failed to launch as the hospital could not procure equipment for conducting the corneal transplant procedure. The launch is re-scheduled for August 15.

“The opening of an eye bank is delayed because we do not have the required equipment for conducting the procedure of corneal transplant,” PMCH superintendent Dr Rajiv Ranjan Prasad informed TOI about the same

“PMCH has procured equipment worth Rs 5 lakh, but some more have to be bought by Bihar Medical Services and Infrastructure Corporation Limited (BMSICL). We are expecting from BMSICL to provide us with the equipment in one month. That’s why senior officials of state health department at a review meeting on June 27 rescheduled the opening of eye bank to August 15,” he said.

Dr Rajiv elaborating on the other required facilities said, “The bank procures the eyes of voluntary donors after their death and transport and stores them under aseptic conditions before transplanting the cornea to the needy patients to enable them to regain vision. A brain death declaration committee has been formed as the state health department has made brain death declarations mandatory. This committee comprises an eye surgeon, a general surgeon, an anesthesiologist and a physician.”

PMCH would also acquire a mobile unit to retrieve organs for storage and implantation. “We are ready with a team of three doctors for corneal extraction from the brain-dead patient. We have also made arrangements for round-the-clock ambulance facility in the hospital to help doctors reach the donor to extract cornea within six hours of the death, as the cornea is of no use if extracted after first six hours of death,” he explained to TOI.

Presently, Indira Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences (IGIMS) is the only government hospital in the state with an eye bank.