NATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION, INDIA viii. Response is awaited from both the Chief Secretary and the Principal Secretary, Health & Family Welfare, Government of Chhattisgarh. 3. Seven senior citizens lost sight in one eye weeks after they underwent a cataract operation at a free camp in Mandya district of Karnataka (Case No. 835/10/14/2015) i. The Commission came across a news item reported in ‘The Times of India’ dated 6.7.2015 under the caption, "7 lose sight after cataract operations". According to the report seven senior citizens have lost sight in one eye weeks after they underwent a cataract operation at a free camp in Karnataka's Mandya district. The surgery was reportedly carried out at Bhagwan Mahaveer Darshan Eye Hospital in Mysuru on April 1, 2015. The camp was held under the National Swasthya Bima policy. Reportedly, after a few days of the surgery, the patients began to feel severe itchiness and swelling around the affected eye and gradually lost vision. ii. The Commission took suo motu cognizance in the matter and issued a notice to the Chief Secretary, Government of Karnataka calling for a detailed report. In response, Principal Secretary to Government, Health & Family Department, Government of Karnataka forwarded an inquiry report submitted by Joint Director (Ophthalmology), Directorate of Health & Family Welfare Services, Bengaluru. The report clearly indicated that the cause of postoperative infection was due to usage of sub standard medicine, i.e. Ringar Lactate Solution and Bhagwan Mahaveer Darshan Eye Hospital had been strictly instructed to use only standard quality medicines for surgeries besides advising other precautionary measures. iii. The Commission also received a letter dated from Advocate Shri V.N. Raghupathy, on behalf of the State of Karnataka, in the matter. The report indicated that the Joint Enquiry Committee which was constituted to enquire into the circumstances leading to the incident concluded that the cause of infection could be of multiple reasons like common entry point of Operation Theatre, deficiency in pre and post-operative care in patient camps, failure to retain the samples of contaminated ringer lactate, etc. iv. Upon consideration of the response from the State Government, the Commission opined that seven patients lost their eye vision partially or completely due to the negligence of the hospital which conducted the cataract operations upon them and the compensation amount to the tune of Rs. 1,00,000/- (Rupees One Lakh Only) each paid to them was grossly inadequate. Hence, the Commission directed to issue a notice under Section 18 of the Protection of Human Rights Act, 1993 to the Government of Karnataka through its Chief Secretary to show cause within eight weeks as to why an additional amount of Rs. Three Lakhs each as monetary compensation should not be recommended to be paid to those seven people. ANNUAL REPORT 2019-20 103