The State Government has taken a serious note of the cases of infection and deterioration in eye diseases following the mass cataract operations in Barwani district. At least 24 people who were operated upon for cataract at the special camp have lost their eyesight. The government has set up a three-member committee to probe the matter.
Notably, in the camp held in the Barwani district hospital 24 people lost their eye sight after cataract surgeries. Around 28 patients complained of infections post surgery and were referred to Indore for further treatment. Out of these, 24 lost their eye sight.
Soon after receiving information about it this morning, Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan apprised himself of the factual position from senior officers of the Public Health and Family Welfare Department.
The Chief Minister directed to provide better treatment to all the affected patients. At present, they are being treated at Shri Aurobindo Medical Institute Hospital at Indore.
The Chief Minister has announced that the state government will bear the entire cost of treatment of these eye patients.
The state government has suspended ophthalmologist Dr RS Palod for negligence at the eye camp in Barwani district. During the suspension, the headquarter of Dr Palod will be the office of the Joint Director of Health Services, Indore.
Orders to suspend Assistant Ophthalmologist Pradeep Chaukde, staff nurses leela Verma, Maya Chouhan, Vineeta Chaukse and Shabana Mansoor have also been issued by the Joint Director of Health Services, Indore.
The operation theatre where the surgeries were conducted has also been sealed.
Public Health and Family Welfare Minister Narottam Mishra has described as unfortunate the incident of infection among eye patients following the cataract operations.
Mishra said that action will be taken against the guilty. The state government has also made proper arrangements of the patients' treatment.
Meanwhile, the Madhya Pradesh Human Rights Commission, taking cognizance of the incident, has asked the district Collector and the Chief Medical and Health Officer (CMHO) to submit a report within one week.