File: 14 people lost their eyesight after they underwent eye surgery at a free medical camp in Gurdaspur. (Press Trust of India)
After recent incidents of alleged botched up eye surgeries in the state, the Punjab government has made it mandatory for all private hospitals, NGOs to take prior permission of civil surgeons before setting up any eye operation camps.
"It is mandatory for all the NGO-hospitals, private, eye-surgeons to sign an MoU with concerned civil surgeon and get permission for holding any eye screening/operation camp.
If any camp is held without the permission of concerned civil surgeon, the operating eye surgeon will be liable to action," a statement quoted Punjab, Principal Secretary, Health, Vini Mahajan as saying.
She said this while addressing a Civil Surgeons' Conference held in today.
She further said that Punjab Medical Council will be duly informed and action will be taken as per rules.
Mahajan said the guidelines for holding general and eye screening or operation camps have already been issued and that all the civil surgeons have held meeting with NGO hospitals and private eye surgeons and advised them to follow these guidelines in letter and spirit.
Several patients had suffered serious damage to their eyes in botched eye surgery camp held in Gurdaspur district in November last year by an NGO.
Health Secretary appreciated the civil surgeons for holding Glaucoma Screening Camps all over Punjab. More than 22,000 persons were examined and 600 glaucoma cases were treated.
Recently, a team from Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare visited District Hospitals-Mohali, Gurdaspur, Batala, Tarntaran and government Medical College, Amritsar in Punjab and submitted a satisfactory report regarding availability of eye equipment and performance, the statement said.
It was further informed that more than 1,700 persons were challaned for violation of rules pertaining to Anti-Tobacco Act while raids were conducted on more than 1,400 hotels, eateries, and cigarette shops in a three-day campaign against tobacco.