LUCKNOW, July 31 -- With demand for corneal transplants on the rise, the Sanjay Gandhi Postgraduate Institute of Medical Sciences (SGPGI) is moving to establish its own dedicated eye bank, a complex initiative which requires advanced infrastructure, skilled personnel and strict adherence to national regulations.

Currently, government-run eye banks in Uttar Pradesh are located at King George's Medical University (KGMU) in Lucknow, Banaras Hindu University (BHU), Sarojini Naidu Medical College in Agra, Sitapur Eye Hospital, Regional Institute of Ophthalmology in Prayagraj, and BRD Medical College in Gorakhpur.

Despite being a premier super-specialty institute, SGPGI lacks an eye bank, limiting its ophthalmology department from conducting ...