NHRC issues notice to Hry govt over botched cataract surgeries

National Human Rights Commission today issued notice to Haryana government over alleged botched cataract surgeries in Panipat in which 19 patients lost their vision, and sought a report from it within two weeks.
According to an NHRC statement released today, the commission has issued a notice to the Principal Secretary, Department of Health, Government of Haryana calling for a factual report within two weeks.
He has also been asked to inform about any ex gratia payments made to the victims and the action taken against the hospital for any medical negligence.
The notice was issued after the commission took suo motu cognisance of media reports that 19 patients had lost their vision caused by infection after cataract surgery at Jeevan Medical LLP Hospital in Panipat in Haryana on March 11.

Fourteen victims were admitted to the Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh, while the remaining were undergoing treatment at Panipat.
The commission has observed that the content of the media reports, if true, raise a serious issue of violation of right to health of the victims.
According to the reports, the Health Minister of Haryana had constituted a committee to investigate the matter.
The Head of Department of the Eye Wing of PGIMER stated that the infection was caused by pseudomonas which was not visible to the naked eye.