10 people lost their eyesight after they underwent eye surgery at a free medical camp
At least 10 people lost their eyesight after a cataract surgery at an eye camp organised by an NGO in Punjab's Gurdaspur district, officials said on Thursday.
The people who lost their eyesight were all above 60 years of age and belong to Gago Mahal village near Ajnala in Amritsar. They were admitted to the Amritsar Medical College hospital, Amritsar Deputy Commissioner Ravi Bhagat said.
Mr Bhagat said 50-60 people were checked at the eye camp. The cataract operation was conducted at a charitable hospital in Ghuman village in Gurdaspur district.
The administration came to know about the incident after some affected villagers complained to the deputy commissioner.
He said the doctors at the medical college said it will take up to one week to know if the eyesight of the affected people can be saved.
Mr Bhagat said that a high-level inquiry has been ordered to find the doctors who performed the operations at the camp.
The incident comes days after 11 women died and 34 were reported critical after undergoing "faulty" sterilization surgeries at a government-organised family planning camp in Bilaspur district of Chhattisgarh.