Patient claims Rs.100Mn from Keheliya and others for permanent loss of sight

• Says after using the prescribed eye drops, he experienced discomfort and vision loss

By Lakmal Sooriyagoda   

A patient who was subjected to permanent loss of sight due  to the use of ‘Prednisolone Acetate’, an eye drop used after cataract  surgeries at a government hospital, has sent a Letter of Demand claiming compensation of Rs.100 million from former Health Minister Keheliya Rambukwella  and eight others for the damage caused to his eyes and possible threats  to his life.  

The victim, Makkari Rajaratnam, a resident of Kandapola  sent this Letter of Demand through Invictus Law Firm demanding  compensation from Keheliya Rambukwella, Janaka Chandraguptha, National  Medicine Regulatory Authority, Prof. S.D. Jayaratne, Dr. Vijith  Gunasekera, Dr. Asela Gunawardene, Dr. Rohan Edirisinghe, Dr. Mahendra  Seneviratne and Chamee Chemist (Pvt) Ltd of Yakkala.  

It has warned that legal action will be instituted if the money is not paid.  

Invictus Law Firm stated that their client was admitted to  the Nuwara-Eliya General Hospital and underwent Cataract surgery on  April 05, 2023, performed by the medical staff of the Nuwara-Eliya  General Hospital.   
The Law Firm stated that their client was thereafter  discharged on April 06, 2023, after the completion of the surgery and  advised by the medical staff attached to the Nuwara Eliya Hospital to  use the Prednisolone Acetate Eye Drops manufactured by Indiana  Opthalmics LLP India which was also given by the hospital as a part of  the recovery and aftercare.   

It further stated that after several applications of the  said eye drops their client developed tearing, discomfort, pain and  headaches on or about April 19, 2023.   

It further stated that upon further medical investigation  and admission to the National Eye Hospital on May 10, 2023, it was  revealed to the victim and the victim also observed that he was gradually  losing sight in the eye operated and treated with the said Prednisolone  Acetate Eye Drops.   

It further stated that said Eye drops were substandard due  to the non-conformity with the sterility tests and that patients who  used the drug developed Endophthahnitis.   

We are instructed to state that as at the date of this  demand, our client is completely blind in the eye operated and treated  with the said Prednisolone Acetate Eye Drop.   
We are instructed, and we state that due to this blindness, 

our client faces many hardships and difficulties in his day-to-day life  and activities. We are instructed that our client who was prior to the  surgery on 05.04.2023 gainfully employed as a farmer drew a monthly  income of Rs. 70,000/- and that now due to his blindness and disability  our client is unable to engage in any employment nor engage in his day-to-day activities and engage in his basic daily routine without any  assistance, the Invictus Law Firm added.