Botched eye surgery: Govt announces pension, high-level probe panel

Bhopal: Madhya Pradesh government will provide a lifetime monthly pension of Rs 5,000 to those people who have lost vision in one of their eyes due to the botched cataract surgery, Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan told the Legislative Assembly on Tuesday. Chouhan also constituted a high-level panel to probe the incident, which he termed as a "blot" on the face of state government.

The announcement was made by Chouhan while replying to an adjournment motion moved by Ramniwas Rawat and other members of the Congress on the issue. Over 40 people lost vision in one of their eyes due to a botched cataract surgery conducted at a government camp in Barwani district last month. The Congress has sought resignation of Health Minister Narottam Mishra who also holds portfolio of Parliamentary Affairs.

Chouhan, who turned up in the House when the Congress members had refused to listen to Mishra's reply and boycotted the proceedings, said his government will take care to ensure that such incidents do not recur in the future.

"The opposition has not shown any patience on the issue. It could have been better if our friends from the opposition would remain in this House, which is a temple of democracy to listen to their charges.

"The incident was a blot on the face of the state and we took it as a lesson. We will ensure that such incidents will not recur in future," he said.

Chouhan said that besides getting the monthly pension of Rs 5,000 for lifetime, the affected persons will also get an assistance of Rs 2 lakh as announced earlier. He said free treatment will be provided to them to cure their affected eye and also another eye which is also affected with cataract and blurred their vision.

Chouhan also announced setting up a high-level panel which will be headed by Additional Chief Secretary (Finance), to probe the incident. Other members of the panel are the Dean, Government MGM Medical College, Indore and an expert from AIIMS Bhopal.

"The committee will submit its report within a month's time and based on its recommendations, action will be taken against those responsible for the incident including the drug suppliers. Nobody will be spared," he added. The CM said the cataract eye surgery camps will not be organised in the state until the panel submits its report and its suggestions are implemented.