Guwahati, Dec. 2: Dispur today suspended an eye surgeon and a nurse for their alleged negligence that led to five patients losing vision in one eye each after undergoing surgeries for removing cataract.

The government also ordered another inquiry - one was instituted yesterday - into the botched free cataract surgeries at the Mahendra Mohan Choudhury Hospital (MMCH) and directed MMCH authorities to immediately shift the patients to Sri Sankaradeva Nethralaya for treatment.

The five patients had undergone cataract surgery at the MMCH here last Friday as part of the routine free cataract surgeries that are conducted in the hospital six days a week. They were discharged the following day. When they came to the hospital for a check-up on Monday, they complained of discomfort and pain in their eye. They were referred to Sri Sankaradeva Nethralaya, where the doctors after check-up referred them back, saying they had eye infection and needed to be given antibiotic injection. They were administered the injections at MMCH during the past two days.

However, no doctor was ready to comment on the extent of damage caused by the infection in the operated eyes of these patients. When contacted, the additional chief secretary to chief minister Tarun Gogoi, M.G.V.K. Bhanu, said there was "one per cent chance" that the infected eye might respond to treatment.

Assam health minister Nazrul Islam, who visited MMCH today along with Bhanu, said, "We have ordered an inquiry to find out the exact reason that led to the loss of vision of five patients following the cataract operation. We have also ordered the hospital authorities to immediately shift the patients to Sri Sankaradeva Nethralaya and ensure that they are provided with all the necessary treatment."

Bhanu, who ordered today's inquiry, said, "We are taking this incident very seriously and are trying to find out what went wrong. An infection after a cataract surgery can occur due to various reasons. It may be caused by human error or negligence or even accidentally. Even in the best of hospitals there is a 0.5 per cent chance of occurrence of such infections. But we have already suspended the doctor along with those involved in the cataract surgery."

However, if during the inquiry they are found to be innocent, their suspension will be lifted.

The inquiry ordered today will be conducted by National Health Mission director P. Ashok Babu and the head of ophthalmology department at Gauhati Medical College and Hospital (GMCH), Dipali Deka.

Yesterday's inquiry, which was ordered by GMCH principal K.C. Saikia, will be conducted by a four-member committee, comprising three GMCH professors and MMCH superintendent M. Rajbongshi. The GMCH principal is the chief superintendent of the GMCH and the MMCH.

Bhanu said, "We will take all necessary steps to ensure that such incidents do not occur in the state in future. All the standard protocols should be followed while conducting a surgery to rule out the chance of any infection".

The MMCH superintendent said, "We have sent the patients back to Sri Sankaradeva Nethralaya, where doctors will start treatment today. They will inform us about how these patients are responding to the treatment. We have also begun our inquiries."