Botched-up eye surgery: Treatment of 2 patients begins

Our Correspondent

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Nurpur, February 28

After two patients losing eyesight following their cataract surgeries at a free multi-speciality surgery camp at the Civil Hospital at Fatehpur here, the state Health Department yesterday swung into action after getting to know about the victims’ plight.

Pyar Singh of Kut village and Neelma Devi of Takwal village had reportedly lost their vision after undergoing eye surgeries by a team of doctors from a private hospital of Delhi at a camp, organised under the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) at the Fatehpur Civil Hospital from January 23 to February 5.

On getting complaints of loss of eyesight of two patients at this camp, the medical superintendent of the Delhi-based private hospital rushed to the victims yesterday and asked them to accompany them for their treatment in Delhi. As per information, Neelma Devi refused but Pyar Singh agreed to his proposal and accompanied the hospital superintendent.

In this connection, Chief Medical Officer, Kangra, RSRana said free treatment of Pyar Singh had started in the AIIMS, Delhi, by the private hospital management, which had organised the multi speciality surgery camp at the Fatehpur hospital.

He informed that the Health Department had also started free treatment of Neelma Devi at the Maranda (Kangra) eye hospital. After examining the patient, the hospital doctors had declared that she had cornea swelling and possibility of such complication was rear and could not be ruled out after cataract surgery.

He said the patient would be re-examined after 10-day treatment to be given by the hospital doctors as he had chances of regaining sight.

Inquiries reveal that the Delhi hospital had inked an MoU with the state Health Department for organising such five camps in government health institutions in a year. It had organised its third camp at Fatehpur and fourth at Gangath. It has also scheduled to hold its fifth camp at the Dehra Civil Hospital next month.

Meanwhile, demand for holding a high-level probe into the botched-up eye surgery is gaining momentum. Demanding a high-level probe, Block Development Committee (BDC) chairman Surinder Sharma, BDC member Aruna Chowdhary, Sthana gram panchayat pradhan Pawan Kalia said the Health Department must verify the credentials of private hospitals before hiring their services. They demanded action against those found guilty after the inquiry and suitable compensation to the victims.