Eye surgeries at Nuwara Eliya General hospital GMOA alleges 17 out of 37 patients had developed complications

They said two of them had gone blind

By Ranjith Rajapakse   

Government Medical Officers’ Association (GMOA) has confirmed that 17 out of 37 patients who underwent eye surgery at the Nuwara Eliya General hospital had developed complications and that two of them had gone blind.  

  A representative of the GMOA, Eye Surgeon Dr. Kanishka told media yesterday at the Nuwra Eliya General Hospital that the GMOA decided to reveal to the public the facts about the issue.   

“People are under the impression that the doctors are responsible for using substandard drugs. We refuse to take up its responsibility since it was the government that imported substandard drugs. Most of the drugs imported by the government under emergency purchasing are substandard drugs. Prednisolone, used in the treatment of eye ailments is one such. The government must prevent the import of poor quality drugs in the future. Although we are doctors, in many instances we are considered as mentally affected individuals by the government. Doctors are leaving the country for want of facilities. Every doctor is now compelled to attend to the duties of several doctors, for a day due to the shortage of doctors. This has prevented them from proper concentration on their functions. This would definitely result in the collapse of the health sector in the country and loss of public confidence in the health services,” he said   

He further said that the patients affected after treatment at the eye clinics had not yet received compensation.