NHRC seekes report from Punjab Govt on botched surgeries

National Human Rights Commission today sought reports from the Punjab government and Gurdaspur district administration over botched surgeries at an NGO-sponsored camp where at least 60 people lost their eyesight.
According to an official statement released today, the Commission has issued notices to the Chief Secretary, Government of Punjab, Secretary, Health and District Magistrate, Gurdaspur calling for reports within two weeks.
The notices were issued after the Commission took suo motu cognizance of media reports carried today that 60 persons lost their eyesight after undergoing cataract surgery at a camp at Village Ghumman, Gurdaspur district of Punjab about ten days ago.

The eye camp was organised by an NGO. Reportedly, 16 persons were from Amritsar and the remaining were from Gurdaspur district.
The Commission has observed that the contents of the press report, if true, raise a serious issue of violation of human rights of the victims who lost their eyesight.
The Central government has also sought a report in this regard from the state government while Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal has ordered a high-level probe into the incident and banned holding of health camps without prior approval of the civil surgeons.
Police today arrested a private doctor who allegedly performed cataract surgery on several people leaving them blind, and also registered a case against a private hospital and a Mathura-based NGO which organised the camp in Gurdasapur.