NEW DELHI– Authorities in the eastern Indian state of Bihar, registered a police case against a private hospital after botched cataract surgeries resulted in 16 people losing their sight, officials said today.

The surgeries were carried out at a privately-run eye hospital in Muzaffarpur district, 78 km north of Patna, the capital city of Bihar.

“A First Information Report (FIR) has been lodged against the medical team that conducted the surgeries,” a local government official at the chief medical office in Muzaffarpur, said.

“Prima facie it is a clear violation at the hands of the doctor for conducting more than 12 surgeries in a day.”

The official said, a three-member team investigating the matter was also looking at other violations by the hospital administration.

Last week, over 50 persons had undergone cataract surgeries at a free medical camp organised by the private eye hospital. Among them, 26 developed an infection, resulting in 16 people losing their sight, the remaining 10 have been undergoing treatment at different hospitals.

Meanwhile, India’s human rights panel – National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) yesterday took control over the matter and asked the Bihar government to submit a detailed report.

“The NHRC in India has taken suo motu cognisance of a media report that the eyes of six patients had to be removed, at Sri Krishna Medical College and Hospital (SKMCH), due to botched up cataract surgeries at Muzaffarpur Eye Hospital, Bihar, on Nov 22, 2021,” the rights panel in a statement said.

According to the statement, doctors may require removing the eyes of about a dozen more patients due to infections after the surgery.

“Reportedly, as per medical protocol, a doctor could conduct up to 12 surgeries, but in this case, the doctor conducted surgery on 65 patients,” the statement said.

Source: NAM NEWS NETWORK