Nine lose eyesight after undergoing cataract op at Anand hospital

Nine patients lost their eyesight after they underwent cataract operations in the Ravishankar Maharaj Eye Hospital in Anand. The patients had undergone cataract operations from July 9 to July 16. The hospital is one of the oldest trust-managed eye hospitals functional in Gujarat.

According to District Health Officer Dr HB Shah, the operation theatre has been sealed and investigation is underway. Prima facie evidence suggests that operations were not carried out sterilised equipment; infectious bacteria were found on the eye swabs.

The hospital authorities referred seven patients to Ahmedabad-based eye surgeon and chairman of Eye Research Centre Dr P N Nagpal. The following patients lost their eyesight:

Siraj Vohra from Anand; Hassan Vohra from Bharuch; Raghavji Patel from Kheda; Laxmi Suthar from Kantharia; Jyotsna Goswami, Chanchal Harijan, Suraj Harijan, all from Borsad; Savita Prajapati from Samalkha and Vino Patel from Nisraya village.