Protest against blinding of 12 after operation

By Our Staff Correspondent

RAIPUR, APRIL 18. The entire Opposition walked out from the Assembly today to register their protest against the blinding of at least 12 people following cataract operations at the Government-sponsored free eye camp in Raipur last month.

Demanding adequate compensation for the affected people, the Opposition accused the Government of negligence while dealing with those responsible for the tragedy. The members shouted slogans against the Government despite repeated assurances by the Health Minister that a departmental enquiry into the incident had already been ordered and those found guilty would be brought to book. The Health Minister, Dr. K.K.Gupta, also told the House that if the victims were found eligible for compensation on compassionate ground under any head, it would be done.

As many as 12 patients lost their vision, some of whom had to suffer the agony of getting their eyes removed, after developing post- operative infection at the free cataract camp. The annual camp had been organised by the National Society for Prevention of Blindness in collaboration with the Chhattisgarh Health Employees Union after obtaining due permission from the Chief Medical and Health Officer of Raipur.

However, the camp had to be organised at several places simultaneously in view of the unprecedented number of patients.

Mr. Gupta said the camp organised between March 15 and March 27 received 800 patients and only those who had been operated upon at the Chhattisgarh Dharmarth Netra Chikitsalaya developed post- operative infection, as a result of which some of them lost their vision.

Comparing the incident with the `Bhagalpur' case, Mr. Mahesh Tiwari of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) said that the Government had played with the lives of the poor, backward and the downtrodden. He pointed out that a cataract operation requires about 13-15 minutes while enquiries here revealed that one lens transplant was carried out within 5-6 minutes.

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Section  : Other States
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