Fri Sep 05 11:57:07 UTC 2025: Okay, here’s a summary and news article rewrite based on the text provided:
**Summary:**
Sarojini Devi Eye Hospital in Hyderabad, Telangana, is partnering with the Telangana State Road Transport Corporation (TGSRTC) to improve cornea donation rates in rural districts. They plan to transport harvested corneas in ice boxes via bus from Government Medical Colleges in Siddipet, Nizamabad, Adilabad, and Warangal to the hospital’s eye bank. This initiative, dubbed “Network to Sight,” aims to address the shortage of corneas for transplantation by expanding harvesting beyond the city. Ophthalmology students in the districts have been trained in cornea harvesting and eye banking techniques. Corneas can be harvested up to six hours after death with family consent, requiring cold storage and transportation.
**News Article:**
**Telangana Hospital to Use Bus Network for Corneal Transports, Boosting Rural Donations**
**Hyderabad, September 5, 2025** – In a groundbreaking effort to combat corneal blindness, Sarojini Devi Eye Hospital in Hyderabad is teaming up with the Telangana State Road Transport Corporation (TGSRTC) to establish a state-wide network for cornea transportation. The initiative, titled “Network to Sight,” will leverage the extensive bus network to collect and transport corneas from rural government medical colleges to the hospital’s eye bank.
Currently, most cornea harvesting takes place in hospitals within Hyderabad, leaving a significant gap in rural areas. Under the new system, corneas will be harvested at Government Medical Colleges in Siddipet, Nizamabad, Adilabad, and Warangal by trained ophthalmology post-graduate students. The tissues will then be stored in preservative solution, packed in ice boxes, and transported via TGSRTC buses to Hyderabad.
“This partnership will dramatically improve our ability to procure corneas and provide sight-restoring transplants to those in need,” said Dr. Modini P, Superintendent of S.D. Eye Hospital. “We have received a positive response from TGSRTC, and we are confident this will significantly increase the availability of corneas from across Telangana.”
The hospital has trained ophthalmology students in the specified districts in cornea harvesting and eye banking. Corneas can be harvested up to six hours after death, with family consent. A cold chain must be maintained during transport.
The S.D. Eye Hospital encourages people to pledge their eyes and to contact the Eye Bank at 9121433434 within six hours of a death if they wish to donate their family member’s corneas. From April to August of this year, the hospital performed approximately 50 cornea transplants. This new initiative is expected to significantly increase that number.
This innovative approach marks a significant step forward in addressing the critical shortage of corneas and bringing the gift of sight to more people in Telangana.
First Piper 