Kanti Velugu scheme: Patients, kin still grope in the dark

​Hyderabad: It has been a tension filled week for families of 18 patients from Warangal who underwent "botched-up" cataract operations at Jaya Eye Hospital on September 26 as they are still clueless whether Kanti Velugu scheme that they availed would bring "Velugu" (light) or would lead to "Cheekati" (loss of sight completely).

All these patients were shifted to LV Prasad Eye hospital in Hyderabad on September 28 and some of them underwent "Vitrectomy" after infection developed in their eye. Ten patients were discharged this week and told to come for review after a few days gap while remaining eight patients are still undergoing treatment in the hospital.

What is worrying the families of patients, all from poor financial background and mostly daily wage earners, is no clear assurance from doctors and authorities on full restoration of sight in one of the operated eyes.

While authorities stated that condition of eight patients, who were discharged three days ago, was improving, family members say that they are still unable to see even nearer objects properly. As on Friday, eight patients are still kept under observation of doctors and understandably family members are tensed and want authorities to release a medical bulletin on their health condition.

“Doctors are not giving clear assurances about when eye sight will be restored to my parent. Many families are clueless whether it will take some more days or weeks together. These are proving to be testing times for affected families from the erstwhile Warangal district. Majority of patients are daily wage earners. An old lady sells corn on road, while another patient works as a maid in a house for living. So, one can understand how economically weak the patients and their families are," said a family member.

Meanwhile, this whole episode has pushed the government into a tight spot with district and State health officials presenting different views on the same operations. While Warangal health authorities stated that Kanti Velugu was going on successfully and this incident was the only exception, it is being probed by a committee. 

Principal Secretary (Health) A Shanti Kumari said a few days ago that surgeries done in Warangal were not part of Kanti Velugu but done under Centre's NPCB (National Programme for Control of Blindness). On the other hand patients’ families said that they are not aware of any Central programme, and they registered for Kanti Velugu scheme only and operations were also as part of that. 

Meanwhile, the inquiry team appointed by State health department to probe the botched up operations at Jaya Eye Hospital inspected the Warangal hospital already and is waiting for culture test reports of saline bottles and equipment in operation theatre used for surgeries conducted on September 26 that later led to infection among patients.