The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) on Wednesday sent a notice to the Bihar government over reports that eyes of some patients had to be removed allegedly due to "botched-up" cataract surgeries done recently at a hospital in Muzaffarpur, officials said. In a statement, the NHRC said it has taken suo motu cognisance of a media report that the "eyes of six patients had to be removed at Shri Krishna Medical College and Hospital (SKMCH) due to botched up cataract surgeries at Muzaffarpur Eye Hospital on November 22." Doctors may need to remove the eyes of more patients due to infections after the surgery, the rights panel said while observing that the contents of the media report, if true, raise a serious issue of human rights violation. "According to medical protocol, a doctor can conduct up to 12 surgeries. But in this case, the doctor conducted surgery on 65 patients," it said.
The NHRC observed that conducting eye surgeries in such a "reckless manner violating medical protocols" is a "serious matter of concern". Accordingly, the panel has issued a notice to the chief secretary, Government of Bihar, seeking a detailed report, the NHRC statement said.
"The report is expected to inform about the exact number of patients who have lost their eyes, status of the medical treatment being provided to them and the relief provided by the state government, including action against the responsible officers /doctors. The response is expected within four weeks," it said. According to media reports on December 1, in most of the cases, the "cornea of the patients is badly damaged and there are chances that the infection could reach their brains", the statement said.
"The condition of six patients is very serious. The hospital authorities tried to hush up the matter and did not inform the district administration or the state health department till an inquiry was conducted. "The authorities have, reportedly, stopped activities in the Muzaffarpur Eye Hospital and a team of the doctors, headed by ACMO is conducting investigation in the matter," it added.
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