MUMBAI: After receiving the third inquiry report into the botched cataract surgeries at the civic-run Bal Thackeray Trauma Care Hospital, Jogeshwari, which resulted in seven patients losing their vision in varying degrees, BMC commissioner Ajoy Mehta on Thursday called for cancellation of registration of honorary operating surgeon Dr Arun Chaudhary by the Maharashtra Medical Council, placed three nurses under suspension and instituted a departmental inquiry against eight hospital staffers, including the three nurses.Significantly, an inquiry has been instituted against the dean of RN Cooper Hospital Dr Ganesh Shinde, who oversees the Jogeshwari hospital and whose handling of the incident has come under criticism. Pulling up the dean for his “casual approach,” Mehta said a separate inquiry will be conducted by additional municipal commissioner IA Kundan on whether he should continue as dean.On January 4, six persons had undergone cataract surgeries while the seventh had an intraocular lens implantation surgery. The infections came to light the next day.While services of honorary operating surgeon and head of unit ophthalmic department Dr Arun Chaudhary had been terminated after the incident, in perhaps a first, the civic chief directed that MMC be informed and suitable action initiated for cancellation of his registration, pending which he should be restrained from performing any surgery. Mehta directed that the government be informed of this, so that till completion of inquiry, the surgeon does not work at any public hospital. The third probe report was submitted to the civic chief on Tuesday.On January 4, six persons had undergone cataract surgeries while the seventh had an intraocular lens implantation surgery at the hospital. The surgeries were being carried out by two resident doctors under supervision of Dr Chaudhary. A day later, the infections came to light when the eye pads were removed for examination. The patients were shifted to Parel’s KEM Hospital on January 6. While the hospital could salvage vision of four to some degree, three completely lost sight in one eye. The infection was so severe in one patient that his affected right eyeball had to be removed.Doctors at KEM, which submitted the first report on January 19, stated it was a cumulative effect of not following safe operation theatre practices, partly due to shortage of adequately trained manpower. It, however, didn’t blame any person specifically. A second inquiry was carried out by Dr Shinde, who solely blamed Dr Chaudhary and two resident doctors, saying nurses and ancillary staffers were following standard sterilisation procedures. The commissioner termed this report “frivolous.”Referring to Dr Shinde’s response, Mehta stated, “This brings into question his very competence to be the dean of a large public hospital and controlling an important health system .”The third probe report has found staffers negligent, prompting suspension of sister-in-charge Veena Kshirsagar and staff nurses Samruddhi Salunke and Dipti Khedkar, and departmental inquiries against registrar Mohammad Sabir, house officer Dr Kushal Kacha, dresser Ashok Kamble and multipurpose labourer Hotesh Kudaikar. A departmental inquiry will also be carried out against former medical superintendent Dr HS Bawa, who has already been demoted and transferred. It has been decided that till completion of inquiry, he will not be assigned any supervisory role.Calling the incident extremely serious and unpardonable, Mehta remarked, “While a cataract operation going wrong in this day and age is unacceptable, the manner in which the issue was handled subsequent to the incident also shows complete negligence and a casual approach. The action to be taken will have to serve two purposes: the persons who are responsible must face punishment commensurate to their negligence, and faults in the system would have to be corrected so as to prevent recurrence of such tragic incidents.”“However, as far as compensations are concerned, all the civil compensations to be paid and criminal liabilities that may arise have been put upon those found responsible for the incident,” he said. The commissioner has also sought that the SOP for ophthalmic OT guidelines be completed within one month and implemented across all BMC hospitals.When contacted, Dr Chaudhary said, “I have read the contents of the report and at this stage I can only say that I don’t accept it. I am in consultation with doctor associations.”Dr Shivkumar Utture, president of Maharashtra Medical Council said, “Once the complaint reaches us, we will have an investigation of our own. We will be looking at whether there has been an ethical breach. If a doctor is found guilty, we will take appropriate steps.”Sources told TOI the ophthalmology department is unlikely to start in the trauma hospital anytime soon. “Patients who were on the waitlist will be directed to higher centres,” said an official, adding an average of 14 eye procedures were carried out weekly there.

Stay updated with all the Mumbai Latest News headlines here. For more exclusive & live news updates from all around India, stay connected with NYOOOZ.