No. of botched eye surgery victims in Sahibganj increases to 19

Dumka: The number of patients, who allegedly lost vision after cataract operations at a private hospital in Sahibganj, has now risen to 19, officials said on Sunday. Earlier, 12 persons reportedly went blind in the operations conducted by the same doctor at the private hospital, Jharkhand Sewa Sada Nursing Home, between October 5 and 7.
The district administration had set up a six-member team to probe the incident on health minister Banna Gupta’s directive and the members visited the hospital on Sunday.
Sources said the hospital management has taken at least 10 patients to Kolkata and nearby Malda district in Bengal for their better treatment.
All patients had undergone cataract surgery under the Centre's Ayushman Bharat early this month. Sources quoting the probe team said nearly 1,200 cataract patients have so far undergone eye surgery at the nursing home, which started functioning in December last year.
Dr Thomas Murmu, the district tuberculosis officer and head of the team, said, “We will submit the probe report to the civil surgeon, Dr Arvind Kumar, within the stipulated 24-hour period.” He said the team reached the Barharwa block headquarters on Sunday and started the probe.
Meanwhile, the JMM MLA from Borio, Lobin Hembrom, said nine victims of the botched surgery from Chashganwa village of his constituency had approached him on Saturday after their vision loss following the eye surgery at the hospital.
“I directed the hospital management to ensure their better treatment to make them recover their vision. All of them are now being shifted to the Ranchi-based Kashyap Eye Hospital,” Hembrom said, adding that the number of such cases might be more.
Earlier, rural development minister Alamgir Alam said four of the patients are from his constituency (Pakur).
All victims were operated on by a Bengal-based consultant eye surgeon, Dr H K Vishwash. On Friday, the victims had complained of vision loss after the removal of their bandages.