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Journalism of Courage
SANGLI, JANUARY 8: In an incident that has sent shockwaves across western Maharashtra, at least 20 persons have complained of loss of vision after they underwent surgery at the Sangli Civil Hospital, about 200 km from Pune, earlier this week. It had been announced recently that Sangli had topped the State for completing the target of eye operations for the third consecutive year.
The incident came to light on Friday and State Health Minister Digvijay Khanvilkar, who had ordered a probe, confirmed today that in one case the loss of vision was permanent. He said 16 persons were under observation and three others were critical cases. But till tonight no action had been taken against the doctors who conducted the surgeries, including those for cataract removal and intra-ocular lens transplant.
State Health Secretary Thomas Benjamin, who is in Sangli, said that 14 types of drugs, including IV fluids and eye-drops, had been confiscated and sent to laboratories for analysis. The lenses have also been sent forsterility tests to Mumbai. The Food and Drugs Authority has been asked to withdraw the entire batch of drugs used in the Sangli surgeries from Maharashtra and outside, pending an inquiry, said Benjamin.
Sangli District Collector Nitin Kareer will be filing a preliminary status report of an inquiry on Sunday. After visiting the hospital, Khanvilkar told The Indian Express that Deputy Director (Health) Dr S R Chougule would conduct a separate probe and anyone found guilty would not be spared.
The head of the opthalmology department from Aurangabad Civil Hospital has been told to study the three “critical” cases and recommend to the Government whether these warranted shifting to the KEM Hospital in Mumbai. The Health Minister added that an amount of Rs 25,000 has been given as ex-gratia to the person who had suffered permanent vision loss.
Although the exact reason for the loss of vision is yet to be ascertained, a senior Sangli ophthalmologist, who wished to remain anonymous, said the reason could be aviral infection.
Twelve patients from Kasegaon and eight from Shirala, identified at an eye camp organised by the Sangli Civil Hospital on January 1 and 2, had been told to get themselves admitted to the hospital. They were later operated upon and asked to return home. Their relatives said soon they began complaining about pain, swelling and loss of vision. Now camping in front of the hospital, these relatives are furious. “Even if the guilty were to be punished, would it return my grandfather’s vision?” asked a youth agitatedly.
According to the relatives, all these patients were told to get themselves re-admitted to the civil hospital and were being treated by the same doctors.Civil Hospital medical superintendent Dr Ashok Raul admitted that 20 persons had lost their vision permanently. “They are under treatment,” he said.
The victims were identified as Kundini Hasan Pathan (65), Anandrao Dnyandev Patil (49), Ramchadra Baburao Patil (45), Sonabai Sreepati Raskar (75), Annabhau Jadhav (85), AkkabaiMahadev Patil (45), Jagubai Mukunda Jadhav (50), Putalabai Prabhu Pujari (80), Bhau Rau Dongre (60), Gokulabai Kawade (50), Prataprao Parshuram Mahajan (50) and Bhimrao Gaikwad (60) — all from Kasegaon; and Hirabai Patil, Hausabai Dhumal, Yashoda Dhumal, Rukmini Patil, Rakhmabai Patil, Kamlakar Surve, Sonabai Shinde and Gaurabai Patil — all from Shirala.
