TheJakartaPost

Please Update your browser

Your browser is out of date, and may not be compatible with our website. A list of the most popular web browsers can be found below.
Just click on the icons to get to the download page.

Jakarta Post

VP Ma'ruf promotes cornea donation to help the blind

Eye donation is still lacking in Indonesia, Vice President Ma'ruf Amin said on Thursday, while pointing out that it could be the answer to help those suffering from visual impairment.

News Desk (The Jakarta Post)
Jakarta
Fri, October 16, 2020

Share This Article

Change Size

VP Ma'ruf promotes cornea donation to help the blind Vice President Ma'ruf Amin waves from inside a train at Serang railway station in Serang, Banten on Jan 30. (Antara/Asep Fathulrahman)

Eye donation is still lacking in Indonesia, Vice President Ma'ruf Amin said on Thursday, while pointing out that it could be the answer to help those suffering from visual impairment.

Ma'ruf said 3 percent of the population were blind, according to the government’s data. Of those people, 4.5 percent are blind as a result of corneal damage.

“Corneal damage can be cured through eye donation. But the practice is still very rare in Indonesia,” he said in his speech during the virtual launch of the Cornea Donation Center (CDD) at Undaan Eye Hospital in Surabaya, East Java on Thursday as reported by kompas.com.

He commended the opening of the center, which he said was a response to manage visual impairment cases in the country. He expressed hope that the center would make it possible for residents, especially those living in Surabaya, to donate their corneas when they die.

He also urged the hospital to promote eye donation, as it is still considered a new thing, unlike blood drives, to increase people’s awareness to help the blind.

Ma'ruf further said it would be beneficial for everyone as one corneal donor could be used by five recipients.

“Right now, there are 70 hopeful donor recipients for one cornea across the world,” the senior Muslim cleric said, adding that those with visual impairment could get help if more people donated their corneas. (dpk)

{

Your Opinion Matters

Share your experiences, suggestions, and any issues you've encountered on The Jakarta Post. We're here to listen.

Enter at least 30 characters
0 / 30

Thank You

Thank you for sharing your thoughts. We appreciate your feedback.