In an alleged case of medical negligence, 14 people in Maharashtra have lost their eyesight after a cataract surgery at Washim civil district hospital. Doctors at the JJ Hospital in Mumbai, where 23 of those who had undergone surgeries were admitted last week, say preliminary tests indicate the reason for loss of vision is the presence of a highly infectious strain of bacteria that is resistant to most antibiotics. The first set of patients treated came back to the hospital in Washim, complaining of watery, red eyes, and blurred vision, according to the Mumbai Mirror report. “We don’t know how much the retina will recover but four patients seem to be recovering today”, Dr Lahane added.
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“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. All 14 patients were then examined by doctors at the hospital in that town and found to be have contracted the infection.
“They have severe “pseudomonas” infection in the eyes”.
The State Health Department has suspended five employees, including an ophthalmic surgeon, medical superintendent and three ophthalmic officers, for negligence while medical teams have been immediately dispatched to track down all 171 patients who were operated on during the cataract drive at the Washim district hospital last month. There too these patients were just kept on medication whereas they actually required further surgical intervention. “We have also suspended the head of ophthalmology at the facility in Akola for delaying treatment by ten days”.
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Mumbai Mirror reached Dr Chauhan at Washim for comment. “There hasn’t been a single case of post-operative infection”.
