UNICEF donates eye-glasses to Trincomalee students

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 14 May 2003, 00:29 GMT]
The North East Provincial Ministry of Education with the financial assistance by the UNICEF Tuesday distributed eye-glasses to students with impaired vision at an event held at Trincomalee St.Joseph's College hall Tuesday, sources said. UNICEF Trincomalee representative Ms Gabriella Elroy handed over the eye-glasses to students.

UNICEF representative Ms Gabriella Elroy fixes the spectacle to a student

Addressing the event, Additional Provincial Director of Education Mr.S.Subramanaiam said northeast province has no modern hospitals with medical facilities to meet the special needs of school children who are hard of hearing or students with impaired vision.

Mr. Subramaniam who was in charge of this project further said seven mobile medical camps were held in three education zones of the Trincomalee district to identify hearing impaired and eye defect students. 178 students were identified suffering from eye ailment and other defects, sources said.

About seven hundred hearing impaired students are waiting for medical examination, as the Trincomalee general hospital is not equipped with necessary medical equipment, said Mr. Subramaniam.

Trincomalee zonal director of education Mr.K.Thilakaretnam also participated in this event.


UNICEF Trincomalee representative Ms Gabriella Elroy (middle), Additional Provincial Director of education Mr.Subramaniam ( right) and Trincomalee zonal ditrector of education Mr.Thilakaretnam look on while a student with defect eye lighting the traditional oil lamp