Dr. Shroff's Charity Eye Hospital at the Indian Habitat Centre organized a panel discussion to emphasize the need for India to develop a skilled cadre of trained pediatric ophthalmologists and optometrists to treat preventable blindness in children. Dr. Suma Ganesh, Chairperson of the Pediatric Centre of Excellence, led the discussion, focusing on transforming the hospital into a leading pediatric center of excellence in ophthalmology.

Dr. Ritu Chaudhary, State Programme Officer of NPCB & VI, attended the event as Chief Guest and panelist. Other distinguished professionals included Dr. Ajay Singh, State Coordinator and OSD at GNCTD, Dr. Rishi Raj Borah, Dr. B. R. Shamanna, Anshu Taneja, Pratik Agarwal, Yogesh Andley, Dr. Umang Mathur, CEO of Dr Shroff's Charity Eye Hospital, and Shantanu Das Gupta, Director of Strategic Planning and Sustainability at Dr Shroff's Charity Eye Hospital.

The discussions focused on addressing childhood blindness prevention gaps in northern India by integrating technology, training, advocacy, research, and collaboration. Dr. Ritu Chaudhary emphasized the need for medical personnel training to combat preventable blindness in children and supported Dr. Shroff's Charity Eye Hospital.

Dr Ajay Kumar Singh illuminated his department’s role in improving healthcare accessibility, describing efforts to organize screening camps and initiate inclusive education programs. Each panelist united in conveying a consistent message: the importance of devising all-encompassing solutions to bolster access to pediatric eye care and tackle the backlog in northern India.

Dr Suma Ganesh, Head of Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus, reaffirmed the hospital’s unwavering commitment to delivering exceptional pediatric eye care. She highlighted their annual screening of over two million children and the execution of numerous surgeries. Dr Umang Mathur, CEO, underscored the necessity for specialized skills, infrastructure, and comprehensive training. Dr B. R. Shamanna praised the hospital’s significant strides toward establishing the Pediatric Centre of Excellence.