11 feared to have gone blind after cataract surgeries at Indore hospital
Indore, Aug 17: Eleven persons are feared to have lost vision due to bacterial infection following cataract surgeries conducted at a private hospital here last week.
Thirteen patients underwent surgeries under the National Programme for Control of Blindness at Indore Netra Chikitsalaya on August 8, and some of them later complained of blurred vision, Indore Chief Medical and Health Officer (CMHO) Praveen Jadia had told PTI earlier in the day.
"With 11 patients losing vision as a result of operations, the registration of Indore Netra Chikitsalaya is being revoked," said an order issued by Dr Jadia later Saturday.
Similar incident had been reported at the hospital in 2010 when cataract surgeries performed on 18 patients had gone wrong, Jadia said, adding he was not CMHO then.
Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath termed the incident as "very unfortunate".
"How come this hospital got permission to operate after the incident nine years ago," Nath tweeted. Stern action will be taken against the hospital management and those responsible after inquiry, he added.
The unfortunate patients will get free treatment and financial help of Rs 50,000 each, Nath further tweeted.
The hospital has been served a show-cause notice and reply has been sought within a month, Dr Jadia said.
The victims have been now admitted to another eye hospital, Choithram Netralaya. Two specialist doctors including Dr Rajiv Raman from Sankara Nethralaya in Chennai would be coming to Indore to examine them and see if a corrective treatment can be administered, he added.
There are chances of restoration of eyesight, he said adding that the victims have contracted "pseudomonas" infection. "We are treating them for this bacterial infection.
We are probing if they contracted the infection during or after the operation," Dr Jadia added.
The victims are in the age group of 45 to 85.
Speaking to media, Rami Bai, one of the patients who complained of blurred vision after the surgery, said in a choked voice, "I can't see anything now."
District Collector Lokesh Kumar Jatav said the operation theater of the hospital has been sealed for the purpose of probe.
Health Minister Tulsiram Silawat said a seven-member committee headed by Indore Divisional Commissioner will probe the tragedy.
The hospital authorities, meanwhile, denied any lapse on their part.
Indore Netra Chikitsalaya director Dr Sudhir Mahasabda said nobody could be blamed for the "unfortunate accident", and inquiry was underway.
"Had there been laxity on our part, how come the other three patients who underwent surgery on August 8 are fine?" he contended.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Real Madrid fines Valverde and Tchouaméni half a million euros each for altercation
Barcelona (AP): Real Madrid slapped players Federico Valverde and Aurélien Tchouaméni with half-a-million-euro ($588,000) fines on Friday for their altercation during practice.
The massive fines came a day after the midfielders tussled when the team trained. Valverde said in a post on social media on Thursday that no punches were thrown. But Valverde knocked his head on a table and he suffered a small cut that required a brief hospital visit.
On social media, Valverde initially called it a “meaningless fight” with a teammate and said “everything has been blown out of proportion."
His employers, however, considered it a significant enough breach of team discipline to nail both Valverde and Tchouaméni with fines that bite even the bank account of a top soccer player. The half-a-million euro penalties reflect the reputational damage the club was enduring in a chaotic end to a disappointing season.
In a statement, the 15-time European champion said its disciplinary action was concluded after both players expressed to the club “their complete remorse for what happened and apologized to one another.”
Madrid added they also apologized to their teammates, the coaching staff and club supporters, as well as showing their willingness to accept whatever disciplinary action the club deemed “opportune.”
Tchouaméni was back training with Madrid on Friday, two days before they play at Barcelona in a clasico. Madrid has to win otherwise Barcelona will be crowned La Liga champion.
After being notified of the fine, he posted a public apology to the club and its fans on social media.
“What happened this week in training is unacceptable,” Tchouaméni wrote. "I say this while thinking about the example we are expected to set for young people, whether in football or at school.
“Above all, I am sorry for the image we projected of the club.”
Valverde was not at practice due to the head knock.
Both players are set to play in the World Cup next month, with Tchouaméni playing for France and Valverde for Uruguay.
Chaotic end to a poor season
===================
The run-in between the players, who for seasons have played side by side in Madrid's midfield, came after they argued this week in previous training sessions. But tempers boiled over on Thursday. Spanish media was rife with reports that the players previously disagreed over the club's decision to let coach Xabi Alonso go after just months on the job.
It was not the only altercation involving Madrid players during training this week. Álvaro Carreras confirmed he was in a “minor” incident with a teammate. Spanish media said he and fellow defender Antonio Rüdiger got into a scuffle.
Álvaro Arbeloa, the coach who was promoted from Madrid's reserve team when Alonso was fired in January, will face tough questions on what went wrong inside the changing room when he gives a press conference on Saturday ahead of the clasico at Camp Nou.
Madrid is facing a second consecutive campaign without a major trophy amid rumors in the Spanish media that club president Florentino Pérez is considering bringing back Jose Mourinho to straighten out his underperforming team.
