WARANGAL: As many as seven of the 18 patients, who developed severe infections after undergoing a cataract surgery, allegedly under the ‘Kanti Velugu’ programme at a private hospital in Hanamkonda, have lost their eye sight entirely. Though the exact cause of blindness remains unclear, a fungal growth in the normal saline used in the disinfection prior to the surgery, is the speculated reason for the infections.
The patients have been shifted to LV Prasad Eye Hospital in Hyderabad for a better treatment. Doctors are investigating if the patients developed an infection while in the hospital or after the surgery due to poor hygiene.
The infection was identified in five patients on Thursday in a follow up examination after which all the other patients who were operated, were called for a primary corrective measure by the doctors to prevent vision loss.
Seven of them have complained of no improvement in their vision even after the second surgery while the remaining 11 are reportedly getting better, despite the persisting infection. Over 250 cataract surgeries were performed at Jaya Hospitals so far under the ‘Kanti Velugu’ programme and apart from these 18, all other patients have not reported any problems post-surgery. The health authorities have sealed the operation theatre of the private hospital in Hanamkonda where the surgeries were performed. The department has also ordered an inquiry in the case.
Inquiry ordered into vision-loss mishap, says Health Secretary Adilabad : In the wake of 18 persons, mostly elderly women, developing severe infections after undergoing cataract surgeries allegedly as part of State government’s flagship programme ‘Kanti Velugu’ in Warangal city, Principal Secretary (Health) A Shanti Kumari stated that an inquiry has been ordered into the incident. “We are looking into the issue. Those responsible for the incident would not be spared. We would take stringent action against them,” she said. Shanti Kumari, who was in town on Saturday to inspect Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Medical Science (RIMS) and review the implementation of the Kanti Velugu programme, told reporters that all the 18 patients who had developed infections were being treated at LV Prasad Eye Institute in Hyderabad