New Delhi|HL
The National Human Rights Commission has issued notice to Tamil Nadu government over reports that sixteen patients including 12 women lost their vision after a botched cataract surgery at a government hospital in Mettur, Salem district, from June 14 to 16.
The Commission has observed that the matter raises serious issues of violation of human rights of the patients due to the apathetic attitude of the medical staff at a government hospital. The chief secretary of Tamil Nadu has been asked to send a report on the incident, the reasons behind it and action taken against those responsible for it. He has been given two weeks to respond.
The reports stated that patients were sent home after the surgery. They took eye drops given by the hospital but were unable to see. They were rushed to the government hospital in Mettur again but transferred from there to a private hospital. The vision of eight patients is reportedly to be badly affected, while remaining eight have suffered minor loss of vision.
The report states that at least 25,000 free eye surgeries are successfully performed at various government hospitals in Salem district every year under the National Blindness Control Programme, but this shocking incident appears to have happened either due to some wrong medicine or some issue with the operation theatre.
