With two more persons developing an eye infection, the Ophthalmology ward at Mettur Government Hospital was closed on Saturday.
With this, 18 patients who underwent cataract surgery in the GH last week are undergoing treatment at private hospitals in Salem and Coimbatore. No one has lost vision, say health officials, emphasising that it was only an infection and patients were recovering well.
On Saturday, a team led by Dr. V. Revathi, Project Director, State Blindness Control Society, inspected the ward and held inquiries with the doctors. Samples of medicines and apparatus used in the surgery were taken for laboratory tests in Chennai. Later, the ward was closed.
Addressing mediapersons, Dr. Revathi said 961 cataract surgeries were performed at the Mettur GH in the last one year out of the 5,201 people who underwent cataract surgery in government hospitals in the district in 2015-16.
Twenty-three patients underwent cataract surgery on June 14, 15 and 16 at the Mettur GH. After discharge from hospital, 16 persons complained of blurred vision. On Saturday, M. Murugesan (65) of Koppampudur in Mettur and K. Muthusamy (65) of Kullaveranpatti, who underwent surgery on June 15, developed infection and got admitted to the private hospital in the city. Minister for Health and family Welfare Dr.C. Vijaya Baskar visited them at the hospital.
Meanwhile, officials who visited the patients at a Coimbatore hospital said the condition of the patients was improving and their pain was reducing. A detailed report would be submitted in the next two to three days.
Many relatives of the patients are worried that the livelihood of the affected, who were daily labourers, would be in question if they lose eyesight.
They demanded compensation from the government and action against the doctors.
A detailed report on the condition of patients will be submitted in the next two to three days
