Countess of Wessex Visits L V Prasad Eye Institute

Hyderabad – The Countess of Wessex, Vice-Patron of the Queen Elizabeth Diamond Jubilee Trust (QEDJT), visited the L V Prasad Eye Institute (LVPEI) to see the impact of the ROP program (Retinopathy of Prematurity) supported by the QEDJ Trust.

Premature babies are prone to Retinopathy of Prematurity (ROP), which afflicts the eyes of preterm babies that have typically received specialized newborn care. In 1998, Dr Subhadra Jalali, who is currently the Director of the Newborn Eye Health Alliance (NEHA) at LVPEI, was pivotal in establishing advanced ROP services at the Institute’s Kallam Anji Reddy Campus at Hyderabad to protect babies from going blind. Over the last 20 years, the LVPEI team has examined more than 20,900 babies and treated more than 16,100 eyes with state-of-the-art laser techniques and surgeries. The smallest baby treated was 550 grams and the tiniest baby to undergo a major surgery weighed 1100 grams. LVPEI through the efforts of Dr Jalali has played a key role in setting up one of the first city-wide ROP programs in the neonatal care units across the twin cities of Hyderabad and Secunderabad. Dr Tapas R Padhi is replicating a similar program at LVPEI’s campus at Odisha.

The Queen Elizabeth Diamond Jubilee Trust has been supporting the ROP program for the States of Telangana and Odisha, in close collaboration with the Governments of Telangana and Odisha, since the past five years. LVPEI is one of the important partners for this program. During her visit, the Countess of Wessex interacted with the Paediatric and the ROP team of LVPEI and discussed the way forward.  Senior representatives from the Public Health Foundation (PHFI), the partner agency for this program were also present.  Dr Jalali will also be part of the key meetings hosted in honour of the Countess of Wessex by the British High Commissioner offices in Hyderabad and Delhi.