1 dead, 25 blind in one eye, many in hospital month after surgery at campAshutosh Bhardwaj
Posted: Mon Oct 17 2011, 02:52 hrs
Bhilai, Durg:
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One woman is dead, 25 have lost vision in an eye and over 25 are facing the same fate one month after they underwent procedures at a cataract operation camp conducted by the government in Balod, Durg.
Their condition only came to light after the administration brought them to district hospitals in a hurry on Saturday night as their condition deteriorated. All the victims are above 55 and come from farmer families.
“They caught infection due to lapses in operation procedure and lack of proper fumigation in the operation theatre. We are fixing the responsibility. Three doctors who conducted the operation have been held liable, besides other medical officers,” Durg Collector Reena B Kangale told The Indian Express. The doctors include P K Joshi, A K Mishra and C M More.
The Jyoti Mela camp was held from September 21 to 30 at the Community Health Centre, Balod, and the victims, who came from nearby villages, were operated upon on September 29.
“A total of 334 patients were operated upon, 93 on September 29, and 39 of them reported infection. Of these 25 have conclusively lost vision in the eye they were operated upon and the remaining have severe infection. We are trying to ensure that it is contained and also that those who lost vision in one eye do not catch infection in the other,” Kangale said.
Nearly 40 patients were shifted to Durg, Bhilai and Raipur hospitals on Saturday night. “We were at home. Government ambulances suddenly came in the morning and brought us here,” said Reeta Bai, whose mother-in-law Raj Bai is among those admitted.
“Doctors checked me here. They said you have no hope now, all we can do is control the pus (flowing out of his eye). Pain will remain for sometime,” said 52-year-old Dhiraji, admitted in Sector 9 Hospital.
Patients claimed many more have been affected as those living in distant areas are yet to approach the administration. “Almost everyone who was operated upon on September 29 caught infection. It was the last day and doctors were in extreme hurry. Unhone fatafat sabko nipta diya,” said Gopal Baghel, attending to his mother Biram Bai at Apollo BRS Hospital.
Block Medical Officer of Dondi, Dhanendra, confirmed the villagers’ apprehension. “Around 35 cases are from my block alone. People from Balod and Gurur were also operated upon during the camp. There could be many more infected persons,” he said.
Collector Kangale admitted that though the patients began reporting their condition to block medical officers immediately, the block authorities informed the district administration only on October 12. The infection was severe by then.
“We took immediate action after we came to know about the situation on October 12. We got all the 334 patients re-examined and then shifted the affected patients to district hospitals,” she added.
Soon after the operation, patients had started complaining of pain, swelling, pus in the eye, severe stomach pain and vomiting. Seventy-year-old Urmila Soni, a resident of Bharretola village of Balod tehsil, could not bear the pain. “Her family took her to a Raipur hospital but she could not survive,” Baghel, who was her neighbour, said. She remained unconscious for over a week after the operation, he added.
“My mother-in-law complained of swelling and pus, lost vision within two days of operation. We approached the block doctor and he gave some medicine and drops, but her condition worsened,” said Reeta Bai.
Health Minister Amar Agarwal told The Indian Express that they would consider the issue of compensation.
“The operations were conducted as part of a central scheme, National Blindness Programme. It does not have the component of compensation. The state government has to decide about this,” Kangale said.
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One woman is dead, 25 have lost vision in an eye and over 25 are facing the same fate one month after they underwent procedures at a cataract operation camp conducted by the government in Balod, Durg.
Their condition only came to light after the administration brought them to district hospitals in a hurry on Saturday night as their condition deteriorated. All the victims are above 55 and come from farmer families.
“They caught infection due to lapses in operation procedure and lack of proper fumigation in the operation theatre. We are fixing the responsibility. Three doctors who conducted the operation have been held liable, besides other medical officers,” Durg Collector Reena B Kangale told The Indian Express. The doctors include P K Joshi, A K Mishra and C M More.
The Jyoti Mela camp was held from September 21 to 30 at the Community Health Centre, Balod, and the victims, who came from nearby villages, were operated upon on September 29.
“A total of 334 patients were operated upon, 93 on September 29, and 39 of them reported infection. Of these 25 have conclusively lost vision in the eye they were operated upon and the remaining have severe infection. We are trying to ensure that it is contained and also that those who lost vision in one eye do not catch infection in the other,” Kangale said.
Nearly 40 patients were shifted to Durg, Bhilai and Raipur hospitals on Saturday night. “We were at home. Government ambulances suddenly came in the morning and brought us here,” said Reeta Bai, whose mother-in-law Raj Bai is among those admitted.
“Doctors checked me here. They said you have no hope now, all we can do is control the pus (flowing out of his eye). Pain will remain for sometime,” said 52-year-old Dhiraji, admitted in Sector 9 Hospital.
Patients claimed many more have been affected as those living in distant areas are yet to approach the administration. “Almost everyone who was operated upon on September 29 caught infection. It was the last day and doctors were in extreme hurry. Unhone fatafat sabko nipta diya,” said Gopal Baghel, attending to his mother Biram Bai at Apollo BRS Hospital.
Block Medical Officer of Dondi, Dhanendra, confirmed the villagers’ apprehension. “Around 35 cases are from my block alone. People from Balod and Gurur were also operated upon during the camp. There could be many more infected persons,” he said.
Collector Kangale admitted that though the patients began reporting their condition to block medical officers immediately, the block authorities informed the district administration only on October 12. The infection was severe by then.
“We took immediate action after we came to know about the situation on October 12. We got all the 334 patients re-examined and then shifted the affected patients to district hospitals,” she added.
Soon after the operation, patients had started complaining of pain, swelling, pus in the eye, severe stomach pain and vomiting. Seventy-year-old Urmila Soni, a resident of Bharretola village of Balod tehsil, could not bear the pain. “Her family took her to a Raipur hospital but she could not survive,” Baghel, who was her neighbour, said. She remained unconscious for over a week after the operation, he added.
“My mother-in-law complained of swelling and pus, lost vision within two days of operation. We approached the block doctor and he gave some medicine and drops, but her condition worsened,” said Reeta Bai.
Health Minister Amar Agarwal told The Indian Express that they would consider the issue of compensation.
“The operations were conducted as part of a central scheme, National Blindness Programme. It does not have the component of compensation. The state government has to decide about this,” Kangale said.
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.indianexpress.com/news/1-dead-25-blind-in-one-eye-many-in-hospital-month-after-surgery-at-camp/860803/0
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