Eye infection scam due to ignorance, negligence: Health Minister

Guwahati, Sep 24 (UNI) The recent eye infection cases in the Regional Institute of Ophthalmology (RIO) here were due to 'genuine ignorance and negligence' of the staff, though the issue was hyped by a section of faculty of the institute.

State Health Minister Himanta Biswa Sharma, addressing newsmen today said the entire episode of post-operation eye infection was being blown out of proportions by vested interest groups of the RIO itself.

He said, ''During our investigation into the matter, we have found that the doctors of the RIO were exaggerating it to divert the patients to private hospitals. We will take steps to minimize the damage being done to the image of the RIO by its own faculty for personal gains.'' As many as 35 cases of post-cataract operation infections were reported on September 16, of which 26 were of September 13, when a cataract correction operation camp was held in the RIO. Of the 26 cases, about 20 were from a single operating table.

Mr Sharma informed that the micro-biology department of the Guwahati Medical College (GMC) investigated the reason. ''It was found that the ventilators of the operation theatre were not sealed and even the air-conditioner was not functioning on September 13,'' he said.

Other important causes were lack of personal hygiene of patients owing mainly to poverty and no fixed person to operate the automatic machine for sterilizing operating equipment, he added.

The doctors performed the operations correctly and the infections were mainly due to unhygienic conditions, Mr Sharma said.

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