Punjab bans health camps without permission

The Punjab government Friday banned holding of health camps without prior approval of civil surgeons in respective districts.

The move follows after least 15 people lost their eyesight upon being operated for cataract at a camp in Gurdaspur district recently. The free eye check-up camp was conducted by a Mathura-based NGO in Uttar Pradesh.

"Taking serious note of the unrecognised NGOs holding health camps without informing the administration and the health department, Health and Family Welfare Minister Surjit Kumar Jayani Friday issued detailed instructions to all civil surgeons of Punjab not to allow such camps that do not have sufficient number of medical specialists," a state government spokesman said here.

Union Health Minister Jagat Prakash Nadda too enquired about the incident and offered help to the affected people.

Jayani said it has been made mandatory that the civil surgeon, before allowing any medical camp, would certify that the organisation has sufficient medical infrastructure and specialists to conduct surgeries.

The civil surgeons will also ensure that such camps use sterilized equipments for conducting the surgery and they conduct proper pre-operative and post-operative care of the patients.

Expressing anguish at the tragedy in Gurdaspur, Jayani said: "It is unfortunate that such NGOs were playing with the lives of people and this practice has to be checked strictly."

He said the civil surgeons will have to be watchful about any camps in their areas.