Patna: The Department of Ophthalmology at AIIMS Patna organised an Eye Donation Awareness Walk on September 2 as part of the 41st National Eye Donation Fortnight, being observed from August 25 to September 8, 2026.
The walk began at 9 am from the OPD Foyer and proceeded towards the IPD Foyer through the IPD connecting corridor due to continuous rainfall.
Despite the rain, faculty members, resident doctors, nursing personnel, Eye Bank counsellors and staff from various departments participated enthusiastically in the awareness programme.
AIIMS Patna Eye Bank Receives 112 Donations
The programme began with a welcome address by Prof. (Dr.) Amit Raj, Head of the Department of Ophthalmology.
Highlighting the progress of the AIIMS Patna Eye Bank, he said the facility has received 112 eye donations since its establishment in May 2025.
Prof. Amit Raj also underlined the significant gap between the demand for donor corneas and their availability in India. According to the information shared during the programme, around 2.5 lakh corneas are required to address corneal blindness in the country, while only around 50,000 are collected.
He stressed the need for greater public awareness and participation in eye donation to help bridge the gap.
AIIMS Patna Executive Director Leads Walk
Prof. (Brig.) Dr. Raju Agrawal, Executive Director of AIIMS Patna, led the awareness walk and appealed to people to come forward for eye donation.
He congratulated the AIIMS Patna Eye Bank team on reaching the milestone of 112 donations within a short period of its establishment and emphasised the need for sustained efforts to promote the cause.
He also highlighted the importance of public participation in reducing the gap between the requirement and availability of donor corneas.
Officials Stress Importance of Eye Donation
Dean (Academic) Prof. (Dr.) Punam Bhadani congratulated the Eye Bank team and the Department of Ophthalmology for organising the awareness programme and promoting eye donation.
Dean (Student Affairs) Prof. (Dr.) Ruchi Sinha said there is a significant need to increase eye donations across the country and called for collective efforts to reduce the burden of corneal blindness.
Meanwhile, Medical Superintendent Prof. (Dr.) Prashant Kumar Singh congratulated the Department of Ophthalmology for establishing the Eye Bank and providing corneal transplant services to patients.
He stressed the importance of creating greater awareness about corneal donation and appealed to people to pledge their eyes after death so that their donations can help restore vision to individuals suffering from corneal blindness.
Healthcare Professionals Join Awareness Drive
The awareness walk saw participation from senior faculty members and healthcare professionals from several departments, including Orthopaedics, Neurology and Trauma Surgery, along with senior residents, junior residents, nursing staff, Eye Bank counsellors and other employees of the institute.
The participation reflected AIIMS Patna’s efforts to strengthen awareness about eye donation and support the development of corneal transplantation services.
The proceedings of the programme were conducted by Dr. Sony Sinha, Additional Professor, Department of Ophthalmology.
AIIMS Patna Appeals for More Eye Donation Pledges
The programme concluded with an appeal to the public to come forward and pledge their eyes and spread awareness about eye donation among family members, friends and communities.
The initiative highlighted the message that eye donation can help restore sight and transform the lives of people affected by corneal blindness, while greater public participation remains crucial to addressing the shortage of donor corneas in India.
