A multispecialty neonatal, infant and child clinic was inaugurated at Sri Sankaradeva Nethralaya here on Wednesday.

This clinic will carry out early screening, diagnosis and treatment which can prevent and cure retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) in premature babies. The clinic will also provide treatment to retinoblastoma (Rb), which is a rare form of eye cancer.

In Assam, these two eye diseases are common.

“If cured in time, a person can be saved from total blindness. The hospital is already providing treatment to the neonatal, infants and children. This clinic is the intensified form of this whole process,” a hospital source said.

The overall facility was supported by the Assam Industrial Development Corporation (AIDC) Ltd.

Assam social welfare minister Pramila Rani Brahma inaugurated the facility.

“As a pioneer in eye care, this hospital is serving the entire Northeast and this new facility will add a new feather to the division of eye care treatment and people will get better benefits from this,” Brahma said.

AIDC chairman Mission Ranjan Das said the well implementation of the proposal resulting in this great facility for the eye treatment of children.

People in India are unaware about the neonatal, infant and child eye problems.

Earlier in the day, General Insurance Corporation of India, Mumbai, as part of its CSR activities donated and funded some ophthalmic equipment to the hospital.

Namdeo Kadam, assistant general manager, GICI, was also present on the occasion.