A wretched debut for Mathura NGO

Ravi Dhaliwal

Tribune News Service

Ghuman, December 5

After organising scores of eye camps in various cities of Uttar Pradesh, Mathura-based NGO SKL Netra Chakitsalya wanted to spread its roots in Punjab.

The series of four camps was the NGO’s first endeavour in Punjab to treat patients, particularly those belonging to rural areas, of their cataract problems. But as things stand, it turned out to be a wretched debut for them. Their doctors botched up surgeries, following which 23 patients have been partially blinded.

The NGO, after discussing its Punjab strategy with local co-ordinator Manjit Joshi, engaged the services of a Jalandhar-based eye surgeon Dr Vivek Arora. On November 4, Dr Arora along with another doctor brought by the NGO, allegedly mismanaged the eye camp held at Guru Nanak Hospital here.

“They started operating people without taking the requisite permission of the Gurdaspur Civil Surgeon. They used to perform operations in a general theatre rather than opting for a hospital that had a specialised eye operation theatre. This meant that proper post-operative facilities, which are important for cataract patients, could not be provided,” said a source.

Another official admitted that surgeries were performed between 9 pm and 12 pm and that too in double-quick time. “On an average, doctors performed an operation after every three minutes, they said. This meant that justice could not be done to the patients,” he said.