At least four persons lost their eyesight, while the vision of 19 others was critically affected after alleged botched-up surgeries by doctors at a cataract check-up camp in Maharashtra’s Washim district, a senior health official said on Thursday.
Washim’s civil surgeon and the doctor who performed surgeries have been suspended in view of the botch-up, while suspension has also been recommended of a doctor at Akola Medical College, the state health department official said.
“On October 31, we got reports of surgery botch-up at the Washim cataract check-up camp and subsequent negligence at the Akola Medical College,” he said.
“The health department officials immediately swung into action and shifted 22 patients from Washim and Akola to Mumbai’s JJ Hospital, where all efforts are being made to restore their eye-sight under the supervision of world class ophthalmologists,” he said.
“Following reports and finding serious negligence on the part of the doctors at Washim Hospital and Akola Medical College, the state health minister has ordered suspension of Washim civil surgeon Surekha Mende and Dr P P Chauhan, who performed surgeries on nearly 14 patients at the eye cataract check-up camp,” he said.
Noted eye-surgeon at JJ Hospital, Dr TP Lahane said: “We are doing every bit to treat the patients in order to restore their sight.”
“They have severe ‘pseudomonas’ infection in the eyes. We have operated 21 patients of whom 14 were severely infected. The rest have minor-to-serious infection. We have managed to restore the eyesight in four patients, while the other four have completely lost their vision,” he said.
“As of now, there are 19 patients admitted with critical condition in the eyes and we are trying to treat them,” Lahane said.
The victims had gone for cataract surgery in Washim during a camp between October 6 and 29. But, from October 13, a few started coming back to hospital with complaints of watery, itchy and red eyes, and blurred vision.