Kanpur: In an alleged case of medical negligence, eight people -- all from villages in the Kanpur district -- lost their eyesight following a cataract surgery at the city-based Aradhya Hospital, a private facility. On Thursday, the affected patients gave their statements before the panel set up to probe the incident.
Speaking before the panel, led by Kanpur’s chief medical officer, 74-year-old Ramesh Prajapati said, “They charged us ₹1,500 and performed the cataract surgery. However, we lost our eyesight following the operation. After losing my eyesight, I went to the hospital again but they could do nothing.”
Another victim Sher Singh underwent a similar ordeal. “I experienced a severe headache and a burning sensation in my eyes post-surgery. The doctors didn’t pay heed to my complaints at the hospital. Consequently, the pain kept increasing due to the puss in both my eyes. I followed every instruction they gave me and despite that, I lost my eyesight. Only the hospital is to be blamed for this.”
According to the panel’s probe findings, the patients were not asked to undergo necessary examinations -- like blood pressure, sugar level, and other blood tests -- before the operation. Before the surgeries, a medical camp was organised by the hospital in question in a Kanpur village on November 2.
The operation on the eight affected patients was performed by eye specialists -- Dr Parvez Khan and Dr Shalini Mohan. In his defense, Dr Khan has said that six out of the eight affected patients already had a severe eye condition. In a similar vein, Dr Neeraj Gupta of Aradhya Hospital said, “We performed 51 eye operations in all. Out of them, only eight developed an infection because they didn’t adhere to our directions. We specifically asked them to not put a piece of cloth on their eyes.”
{{/usCountry}}The operation on the eight affected patients was performed by eye specialists -- Dr Parvez Khan and Dr Shalini Mohan. In his defense, Dr Khan has said that six out of the eight affected patients already had a severe eye condition. In a similar vein, Dr Neeraj Gupta of Aradhya Hospital said, “We performed 51 eye operations in all. Out of them, only eight developed an infection because they didn’t adhere to our directions. We specifically asked them to not put a piece of cloth on their eyes.”
{{/usCountry}}Taking cognisance of the incident, additional chief medical officer Dr SK Singh filed a complaint in the matter based on which a case was lodged under IPC sections 338 (whoever causes grievous hurt to any person by doing any act so rashly or negligently as to endanger human life) and 419 (punishment for cheating).
Meanwhile, DCP (South) Pramod Kumar said that the police are investigating the case. “The probe will be assisted by eye specialists from the government hospital,” he said.