Victims unlikely to get back eyesight

BOTCHED-UP EYE SURGERY

Netralaya doctors clean up damaged eyes, further treatment on at MMCH

By Our Staff Reporter

Guwahati, Dec 3: The five patients, who were victims of a botched up cataract surgery at Mahendra Mohan Choudhury Hospital, are unlikely to get back their eye-sight.

The victims were last night taken to Sankardev Netralaya where doctors conducted evisceration - removal of the eye's contents, leaving the scleral shell and extraocular muscles intact.

They were later admitted at the MMCH for further treatment. Sources in the MMCH said the victims are unlikely to get back their eye-sight.

Family members of the victims continued to fume against the government hospital, demanding "justice" and "adequate compensation".

"Doctors are said to be gods, but for us, they have become envoys of death," said a family member of victim.

The surgeon who conducted the surgeries - Bindu Singla Goyal - and an OT attendant were yesterday placed under suspension, with the GMCH and the Health department announcing separate probes into the incident that has caused major embarrassment to the State government.

Fourteen patients were operated upon on November 27 last. On Saturday, except one, all the others were released. Nine of them on Monday returned complaining of infection.

It is alleged that the MMCH initially tried to hush-up the matter by keeping the patients in separate wards.