Srinagar, Feb 20: Department of Ophthalmology, SKIMS Medical College Bemina has got The Human Organ Transplant Act (THOTA) License for undertaking corneal transplant surgeries in blind patients.
The blind patients in Kashmir valley impacted by various corneal diseases will be highly benefited and will be rendered seamless services. This is the second government medical college in Kashmir after GMC Srinagar that has the THOTA license.
Head Department of Ophthalmology SKIMS MC, Prof. (Dr.) Sheikh Sajjad Ahmad said that the license is meant for patients with corneal blindness.
“The facility will help decongest GMC Srinagar, reducing patient wait times. After cataracts, corneal blindness is the most common condition we handle, and this facility will provide much-needed relief to patients,” he said.
The HoD said there is still a lack of awareness among people regarding the donation of corneal tissue after death. “If people become aware of this, it will help in obtaining corneal tissue locally, reducing the need to source it from outside Jammu and Kashmir,” he said.
The Department of Ophthalmology expressed gratitude to the Director, SKIMS/Principal, SKIMS MC, Prof. (Dr) Mohd Ashraf Ganie, for his tireless efforts and in facilitating the process.
The HOD Ophthalmology thanked Director Health Services Kashmir who expedited the inspection and grant of permission and HOD Ophthalmology, GMC Srinagar for cooperation.
“This will undoubtedly go a long way in mitigating the sufferings of poor blind patients. The corneal surgeries have a high successful rate and this is a big achievement for the department where such patients will now be treated successfully,” he said.
The Department will start corneal transplantation surgeries soon under the supervision of experts including HOD Ophthalmology along with supportive faculty members like Prof. (Dr) Imtiyaz Ahmad, Dr Nusrat Shaheen and Dr Wasim Rashid.
Pertinently, any hospital or department dealing with human organ transplants must have a license to conduct these procedures and it is granted based on the availability of trained faculty and high-end infrastructure.
Officials said besides offering PG courses since 2013, ophthalmology is one of the major clinical departments offering tertiary care in sub-specialties of Cataract, Glaucoma, Oculoplasty, Strabismus and Vitreo-retina.
The department also runs a state-of-the-art research lab which is equipped with various diagnostic and therapeutic modalities like OCT, FFA, VFA, A-Scan ocular ultra-sonography, B-Scan ocular ultrasonography, Optical Biometry, Green Laser, Diode Laser and Corneal Topography.
Notably, in 2024, the department started Collagen cross-linking for patients suffering from Keratoconus (eye condition that causes cornea to thin and bulge into a cone shape) after installing a high-end C3R laser machine for the first time in any Government institution in Jammu and Kashmir.
