The DRROP India programme (Diabetic Retinopathy, DR and Retinopathy of Prematurity, ROP) is a six-year initiative to address avoidable blindness from Diabetic Retinopathy and Retinopathy of Prematurity. Both conditions are increasing in importance in India as the number of people with diabetes increases (now 65 million) and the number of preterm babies who survive increases.
The DRROP initiative works with National and State governments, district health officials, and private and public service providers. The initiative brings together health professionals at all levels in the health system, and is strengthening the Government of India’s health system for the care of people with diabetes and eye care through capacity building. Models of sustainable and scalable services for the prevention, detection and treatment of both conditions have been established across India. Other key areas in the programme include advocacy and communication, monitoring and evaluation, and coordination.
The Government of India has established a National Task Force for each initiative, to guide and oversee implementation. Technical Expert Groups provide specific inputs to different aspects of each programme.
The DRROP programmes are part of The Queen Elizabeth Diamond Jubilee Trust’s (UK) avoidable blindness programme across Commonwealth countries.