WARANGAL: An instance of 18 people, mostly elderly women, developing severe infections after undergoing cataract surgery under the State government’s ‘Kanti Velugu’ programme in the district has come to light on Friday. The health officials have shifted them to LV Prasad Eye Hospital in Hyderabad to ascertain the reason behind the loss of vision.
According to sources, 18 persons including 10 women, who were advised to undergo cataract surgery during Kanti Velugu programme were operated on September 22 at Jaya Hospital in Warangal. Even after three days when there was no improvement in their vision they approached the hospital, which had been selected as the nodal hospital for performing eye surgeries by the government under Kanti Velugu programme.
The victims were again operated on September 27. In the meantime, the panicked family members of the patients approached Warangal Urban district medical and health officer (DM&HO) Dr Harish Raj on Friday and informed him about the situation. The DM&HO visited the hospital and after examining them shifted the patients to Hyderabad.
“We shifted them to LV Prasad Eye Hospital in Hyderabad as they have developed infection after cataract surgery. We will know about their exact condition only after they are examined by doctors in Hyderabad hospital,” he stated.
Kanti Velugu programme
The ambitious comprehensive eye screening project of the State government envisages detection of eye ailments, if any, in the general population, provision of treatment, spectacles and follow up services for surgeries free of cost to the needy. The project is aimed at eliminating avoidable blindness.