Gujarat: Seven patients complain of vision loss after cataract surgery, probe ordered
Patan, Feb 9: At least seven persons have complained of partial or complete loss of vision after undergoing cataract surgery at a trust-run hospital in Patan district of Gujarat, prompting authorities to order a probe.
Of total 13 persons who underwent surgery at Sarvodaya Eye Hospital in Radhanpur town on February 2, seven patients developed complications due to infection, said hospital trustee Bharti Vakharia.
Five of them were shifted to the M and J Institute Of Ophthalmology at Ahmedabad Civil Hospital and two were shifted to a hospital in Visnagar town in Mehsana district, she added.
The Health and Family Welfare department has formed a committee to conduct an inquiry, said Health Minister Rushikesh Patel.
"Stern action will be taken against those found guilty of any negligence," he told reporters here.
This was the second such incident in the state in a span of one month. On January 10, as many as 17 elderly persons suffered loss of vision due to infection after undergoing cataract surgery at a trust-run hospital at Mandal village of Ahmedabad district.
In the present case, hospital trustee Vakharia said seven of the 13 patients who underwent cataract operation returned three days later as they developed eye infections.
"The culture report of our operation theatre was normal, which proves that we were not at fault. A team of government doctors visited our hospital and collected samples for further probe," she added.
According to the doctors at the eye hospital in Ahmedabad, the five patients admitted there have blurry vision and can detect only hand movement.
"All five patients have developed blurry vision and other side effects such as watery eyes and red spots after their cataract surgery in Patan. Treatment is going on," said Dr Umang Mishra, Resident Medical Officer.
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T'gana RTC strike: Talks between govt, employees successful
Hyderabad (PTI): Talks between employees of Telangana State Road Transport Corporation (RTC) who were on strike and the state government concluded successfully on Friday as the government agreed to the key demands of the workmen.
Following a day-long marathon of talks between the leaders of the employees' Joint Action Committee (JAC) and the cabinet sub-committee, the government announced after midnight that it acceded to the demands, including a merger of RTC with the government, 11 per cent pay revision and elections to the employees' unions.
A committee comprising officials and employee leaders would be appointed over the merger of RTC with the government, it said.
The RTC management has also agreed to address the remaining issues as well, an official release said.
The employees would call off their strike and the RTC buses would hit the roads shortly, it said.
The employees had been on an indefinite strike since April 22 over a series of demands, including the merger of RTC with the government.
Earlier in the day, a driver of the RTC, who attempted suicide on April 23 during the strike, died at a hospital here in the early hours of Friday.
Shankar Goud, a 55-year-old driver, set himself ablaze by pouring petrol at Narsampet in Warangal district when the employees were staging a protest on Thursday in support of their demands.
Goud suffered serious burns, was initially admitted to a state-run hospital in Warangal, and later shifted to a super-speciality hospital in Hyderabad for advanced treatment.
"He succumbed (to injuries) at about 1.30 am on Friday," a senior official said.
The driver’s body was taken to his relative’s village, Muttojipet in Warangal district, for funeral rites.
Tension prevailed in Muttojipet as his family members and RTC employees attempted to take the body to the Narsampet bus station, where he worked, to enable his colleagues to pay their last respects. However, police did not permit this, citing law-and-order concerns.
This led to a deadlock before the funeral could proceed.
Union Minister Bandi Sanjay Kumar criticised the Telangana government for not allowing the body to be taken to the Narsampet bus station.
Kumar, Minister of State (Home), visited Muttojipet village in Warangal district, where the funeral was held, and paid homage to Goud.
“They (family members) want to take the body to the bus depot for five minutes. Is the RTC bus depot in Pakistan or Bangladesh? They are emotionally attached to taking the body there. The government is hurting sentiments and creating fear among RTC employees,” Kumar told reporters.
He also expressed anger at the police for not allowing the body to be taken to the bus station and staged a protest, according to a release from his office.
RTC employees and BJP workers attempted to take the mortal remains in an ambulance to Narsampet, but were stopped by the police.
Later, after discussions with the police, the family members and RTC employees agreed to conduct the funeral in the village.
Sanjay Kumar, stating he would abide by the family’s decision, left the village after the funeral was conducted there.
Transport Minister Ponnam Prabhakar said an ex gratia of Rs 10 lakh, a house, and a government job would be provided to the kin of Goud.
Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy expressed shock over the employee’s death and conveyed deep condolences to the grieving family, according to the release.
The RTC employees’ JAC had earlier announced an agitation programme from April 24 to 29, including silent marches and submission of memorandums to MLAs and other leaders.
