Gujarat HC Orders Probe After 17 Patients Complain of Losing Vision Post Surgery

The Gujarat High Court took suo motu cognisance of Ramanand Eye Hospital in Mandal, Ahmedabad.

There are thousands of such patients in the country, who are battling between life and death due to some organ failure and are waiting for an organ transplant.

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The Gujarat High Court took suo motu cognisance of the trust-run Ramanand Eye Hospital in Mandal, Ahmedabad, after a tabloid reported that at least 17 people, who underwent cataract surgery in the hospital, complained of partial or total loss of vision.

The HC bench, on Wednesday, 17 January, was quoted by Bar & Bench as saying:

“We take suo motu cognizance since the news article raises an issues of great concern of the well-being of elderly persons who lost their vision. It is also essential to know whether any substandard drug was used or there was lack of facilities or maintenance of medical protocols which are necessary to observe before performing eye surgery."

The bench added, "The registry is ordered to register this news article as a suo motu PIL. Issue notice to secretary, health and family dept of State.”

The court also ordered the state government to file a preliminary report into the incident. 

What happened? On 10 January, 29 cataract surgeries were performed at the hospital in Mandal. At least 17 of these patients “developed complications.” 

According to Satish Makwana, Deputy Director (health and medical services), Ahmedabad region,

“Five seriously affected patients were referred to Ahmedabad (Ophthalmology department of the Ahmedabad Civil Hospital), while 12 were admitted to the same Ramanand Eye Hospital."

The big point: The hospital had conducted close to 100 surgeries in January alone as part of a health camp. The expert committee of doctors is now revisiting patients and checking the medicines prescribed to them.

The state’s response: The healthy and family welfare department of the Gujarat government has formed a nine-member panel to probe the incident. As per Makwana, the hospital has been told that it cannot perform any cataract surgeries till the state’s orders, reported PTI.