Study reveals low effective cataract surgical coverage and regional inequities in India
A systematic review and meta-analysis by Pardeshi et al. pooled data from 34 population-based survey reports spanning six geographic regions of India to estimate national and regional cataract surgical coverage (CSC) and effective CSC (eCSC).
Key Findings:
- Pooled eCSC across India was 36% and CSC was 57%, revealing a relative quality gap of 37%.
- Regionally, North India had the highest CSC (69%) and eCSC (45%), while Central India had the numerically highest relative quality gap (41%).
- The Northeast region had the lowest eCSC at 23% and lowest CSC at 36%.
Reference: Pardeshi GS, Khan MF, Gupta PC, et al. Regional disparities in effective cataract surgical coverage and relative quality gap in India: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Indian J Ophthalmol. 2026;74(1):14-22.
