Ten poor labourers lose sight after surgery

Vetlapalem (East Godavari District): Ten persons, who underwent eye surgeries performed under the aegis of Koduri Ranga Rao Lions Club Hospital in Jaggampeta in April this year, reported to have lost their sight allegedly due to lack of pre and post-operative care as well as negligence of the hospital management.

The incident came into light on Tuesday and district collector Karthikeya Misra directed the district medical and health officer to submit a report in this regard after conducting a thorough enquiry.

Highlights:

• Lack of pre- and post-operation care blamed for the tragedy
• Lion’s Club Hospital at Jaggampeta performed surgeries on April 13
• Victims say they lost their livelihood, seek government help

Meanwhile, when The Hans India met some of the victims in Vetlapalem village of Samalkot mandal on Wednesday, the victims poured their woes. The victims, all daily wage labourers, who lost vision completely and some partially, confined themselves to homes for the last three months.

According Chitturi Satyanarayana, one of the victims, eye surgery was performed on April 13 in Lion’s Club Hospital at Jaggampeta after which he lost his left eye. “Two days after the surgery, I experienced heavy pain and my eyeball came out. The person who took us to the eye camp was at large.

Doctors in the government general hospital expressed their inability to help us. Later, Lion’s Club hospital took us to Kiran hospital at Kakinada and LV Prasad Eye Hospital where we were given medicines for two months but not assured of sight restoration. For the last two months, my family has been starving as I am the only the bread winner. My family came from Odisha and settled in Vetlapalem village 10 years ago, as my daughter is staying in the village.”

"Another victim Ramavarapu Satyavati said after surgery her right eye lost vision and he was not going for daily work. “Moreover, I have to take care of my husband Tata Rao (67) who cannot work. Now who will help us in this old age,” she questioned. The government should take action on the doctor concerned and do justice to them, she demanded.

Bavisetti Rambai, another victim of the village, also said that she had become blind in left eye after the surgery and was facing problem in eking out a living for the last two months. She said that the government should do justice to that saying hospital authorities were not responding in any manner.

Speaking to The Hans India, District Blindness Control Society (DBCS) programme manager P Mallikarjuna Raju said the patients lost eye sight due to gross negligence of the doctor who performed surgeries and also because of lack of pre-and post-operative care. He blamed absence of hygienic conditions in the hospital for the tragedy.

Officials seized the records of the hospital and a report will be submitted to the collector. Responsible persons of the hospital are not available for comment.Twenty-one patients of Rachapalli village of Prattipadu mandal, Vetlapalem village of Samalkot mandal and J Kottur village of Jaggampeta mandal were selected for eye surgeries. Of them, 10 reportedly lost eye sight either completely or partially.

When contacted. Lion’s Club hospital management committee chairman Koduri Ranga Rao termed the incident “unfortunate”. “This happened as some of the patients are suffering from diabetes. All necessary care was taken for the patients. They were sent to LV Prasad Eye Hospital, Visakhapatnam, and given medicines. We have conducted about 4,500 eye surgeries in the last five years with service motto without any complaint,” he said.