HYDERABAD/ONGOLE: The callousness of a private hospital has cost nine elderly persons from BPL families in Prakasam district their eyesight.Aged between 50 and 70 and hailing from Ongole and its surrounding villages, they all lost vision in one eye after undergoing cataract surgery under Aarogyasri scheme at Amma Eye Hospital in Ongole on Tuesday (May 22).The victims, who included five women, developed endophthalmitis, an inflammation of the internal coats of the eye, following the surgery and brought to Sarojini Devi Eye Hospital in Hyderabad on Friday to prevent further spreading of the infection to the second eye.The nine victims are: P Bayyamma, S Chennamma, M Annapurna, T Subbarattamma, B Govindamma, K Venkateswarlu B Chennakesavulu, D Subba Rao, N Anjaneyulu.In all, 18 elderly people had gone through the cataract surgery, performed by Dr Varikuti Amrutapani. The very next day, about 13 developed infection and were shifted to Sankar Eye Hospital near Guntur.All patients started suffering as their eyes began swelling soon after the surgery.From the second day onwards, white pus started coming out of eyes, besides problems like itching and aching,” said M Srimannarayana, son of one of the patients.As the condition deteriorated, nine patients were referred to Sarojini Devi Eye Hospital in Hyderabad.Following this, Amma Hospital authorities had sent them to Hyderabad on May 24. The condition of the remaining four is stable and they are undergoing treatment in Guntur.The nine patients, along with their relatives, arrived at Sarojini Devi Eye Hospital on Friday. "Immediately after receiving them, they were given intravitreal injection, eyedrops and medicine to prevent the infection spreading to the second eye," said Dr Upendra Karne, superintendent of the hospital.The patients lost one of the eyes completely and it is not possible to transplant another eye as the entire mechanism of the eye is damaged, he said.Hospital staff collected puss from the eyes of all the patients and sent them for bacteriological culture and sensitivity examination.They are likely to receive the report by Monday, after which they can confirm the exact reason.“We will form a three-member committee and report to the government in a couple of days,” Dr Upendra Karne said.M Annapurna, one of the victims said she suffered from blurred vision in her left eye. "I was told I would have a clear vision if I go through the cataract surgery, but now I lost my eye. I paid Rs 2,700 to the hospital," she said.Hailing from Korlamitta village in Prakasam district, she is an agricultural labourer and is worried over her future with a single eye.K Venkateswarlu (65), from Ongole, said he was asked to pay about Rs 7,000, though he had Aarogyasri health card. “I borrowed money from neighbours and paid the amount.They took the money and removed my eye.What kind of a health system is this?" he asks.Operation Theatre sealedPrakasam district collector Anita Rajendra directed district medical and health officer (DM&HO) Dr K Sudhakar Babu to probe the incident.The DM&HO visited Amma Eye Hospital on May 24 night and sealed the operation theatre. Some medical equipment and tools were sent to Guntur Medical College’s microbiology department for examination.Speaking to Express, the collector said action will be taken against the doctors and the management of Amma Hospital after receiving the enquiry report.It is said a preliminary report has been sent to the state government.Dr Sudhakar Babu was asked to take care of the four patients who are undergoing treatment at Sankar Eye Hospital.
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