Dr Tapas Ranjan Padhi and Dr Subhadra Jalali, pioneers of ROP care in Odisha and Telangana respectively, represented LVPEI at the Commonwealth Eye Health Consortium Five Year Meeting, held in London from 26-29 March 2019.
The purpose of the meeting was to celebrate and reflect on the lessons and achievements of the last five years. Both of them participated especially as part of the Retinopathy of Prematurity and Paediatrics Network (ROP-NET) and also part of the larger group on Preventing Childhood blindness. Dr. Padhi was chief mentor of ROP-NET program in Nigeria and Dr. Jalali in Sri Lanka. They held deliberations on the Global plans with a finite goal for making the Prevention of newborn and childhood blindness as an integral part of UN goals of Universal Health for all.
The meeting was supported by The Queen Elizabeth Diamond Jubilee Trust. A special reception was held for all delegates at St. James' palace, London, by the Vice Patron, HRH Sophie, Countess of Wessex. It was a moment of pride for LVPEI when Dr Jalali was singled out by the Countess for a special photograph and mention on Royal Social media.
