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Telangana Government Gets Notice From NHRC For Botched Up Eye Surgeries

The cataract surgeries carried out on seven people on June 30 resulted in complete loss of vision of the operated eye.
In this July 18, 2011 photo, Indian tribal villagers are bandaged after undergoing cataract surgeries inside the Lifeline Express, a charitable mobile hospital, in Jagdalpur, Chattisgarh state, India. The Lifeline Express, a five-coach train with specialist doctors and operating rooms, is the only hope for the nearly 1.4 million people of this forested eastern area stuck between Maoist violence and government apathy. (AP Photo/Kevin Frayer)
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In this July 18, 2011 photo, Indian tribal villagers are bandaged after undergoing cataract surgeries inside the Lifeline Express, a charitable mobile hospital, in Jagdalpur, Chattisgarh state, India. The Lifeline Express, a five-coach train with specialist doctors and operating rooms, is the only hope for the nearly 1.4 million people of this forested eastern area stuck between Maoist violence and government apathy. (AP Photo/Kevin Frayer)

After seven people lost their eyesight in an alleged botched up surgery, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has issued a notice to Telangana government that runs the Sarojini Devi Eye Hospital in Hyderabad where the operations were conducted, according to news reports.

On June 30, the cataract surgeries carried out on seven people resulted in complete loss of vision of the operated eye due to a bacterial infection caused by superbug Klebsiella. The bacterial infection was caused by an infected saline solution, Ringer's Lactate.

The NHRC has taken suo motu action and issued a notice to Telangana's chief secretary and director general of police on Friday after three men and four women aged 50-70 years lost their eyesight.

"The Commission has observed that the contents of the news item indicate towards the violation of right to health of the patients," NHRC said in a statement on Friday as reported by The Times of India.

The state government has been given a fortnight to respond the notice with a detailed report.

A case under Section 338 (causing grievous hurt by act endangering life or personal safety of others) of Indian Penal Code (IPC) has been registered against the hospital.

Of the 21 patients who underwent cataract operation in the hospital, 13 suffered from the infection. However, six of them responded well to the antibiotic treatment administered by doctors. Those who did not respond to the treatment lost their vision, The Mint reported.

Contamination of Ringer's Lactate (RL) solution was the main culprit, said Dr Rajender Gupta, deputy superintendent of Sarojini Devi Eye Hospital. The condition of three patients is not good and they may require additional surgery, he told Mint.

Surprisingly, the doctors have been given a clean chit by a three member committee appointed by Telangana government after the incident came to light.

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