Ahmedabad: The Gujarat High Court on Wednesday took suo moto cognizance of news reports concerning botched cataract surgeries at a trust-run hospital in Viramgam, Ahmedabad district. The surgeries, performed on January 10, left 17 patients with reduced vision, raising serious questions about medical negligence and patient safety.
A bench of Justices AS Supehia and Vimal Vyas issued notices to the Health Secretary and the Ahmedabad Rural Superintendent of Police, demanding a preliminary inquiry report to be submitted before the next hearing scheduled for February 7.
Surgeries conducted at Mandal Ramanand Trust Hospital
A total of 29 cataract surgeries were conducted at the Mandal Ramanand Trust Hospital in Viramgam taluka. Following the operations, 17 patients reported a decline in their vision. Five of these patients have been transferred to Asarwa Civil Hospital for further treatment, while the remaining 12 are being monitored at Ramanand Trust Hospital itself.
Were the surgeries responsible for decline in vision?
The affected patients hailed from three districts – Ahmedabad (9), Surendranagar (12), and Patan (8). Investigations by doctors at Asarwa Civil Hospital suggest a possible post-operative infection caused by eye drops, though thankfully, no complete vision loss has been reported among the affected individuals.
To ensure patient safety, all surgical procedures at Ramanand Trust Hospital have been temporarily suspended. Furthermore, authorities have initiated the process of contacting all 74 individuals who underwent eye surgeries at the facility between January 1 and 10 to assess their well-being and identify any potential complications.
