Blog of ORA, Dr. R P Centre, AIIMS: THE GENESIS OF DR.RAJENDRA PRASAD CENTRE (RPC), AIIMS

Dr. Rajendra Prasad Centre for Ophthalmic Sciences, named after the first President of India, Dr. Rajendra Prasad, was established on the 10th of March, 1967 as a National centre for ophthalmic science, to provide state of the art patient care, expand human resources for medical education and undertake research to find solutions to eye health problems of national importance.
Prof L P Agarwal was the visionary, who envisaged an eye center that would be at the fore front of eye health planning, academics and clinical care. It was designed keeping in mind the specific needs of India, and included the best features of leading ophthalmic centers around the world.
Prof L PAgarwal and the RPC were instrumental in making India the first country to start a National Programme for Prevention of visual impairment and Control of Blindness. The Centre formed the apex of the pyramid of Ophthalmic services in India, under this programme.
RPC has been recognized over the years, as a center of excellence by policy makers, professionals and the discerning public. All its expertise is available to the common man at highly subsidized rates or free.
The Centre is a constituent unit of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, wherein it retains the fullest autonomy, while still keeping it within the mainstream of medical education and health care.
Dr.R.P.Centre continues to play a pivotal role in the National Programme for Control of Blindness. Faculty members of the Centre provide technical inputs at various forums that deliberate on policy planning and programme implementation. We have contributed our share in various blindness surveys and rapid assessments that have been conducted under the National Programme. As part of the Working Group, we have assisted in the framing of the Plan of Action under the Vision 2020 initiative. The Plan of Action shall guide the National Programme for Control of Blindness in the years to come. The Centre continues to foster partnerships with non-governmental organizations engaged in the field of eye care. The centre has developed software for the National Registry of Eye Care infrastructure and human resources in India” this was done to support vision 2020 activities in India. This will be of immense use for policy planning in future.

Chiefs of Dr.R.P.Centre -