Thursday Jan 09, 2025
Thursday Jan 09, 2025
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The Government has approved compensation for 17 patients who lost their vision following cataract surgeries at the Nuwara Eliya Hospital.
The decision on Monday by the Cabinet of Ministers was made following deliberations by a technical committee tasked with investigating the issue, attributed to the use of substandard drugs during treatment.
Cabinet Spokesman and Minister Nalinda Jayatissa yesterday said that compensation amounts will vary based on the severity of the cases.
According to the technical committee recommendation, 12 patients will receive Rs. 1 million each, two will receive Rs. 750,000, one will receive Rs. 700,000 and two will be compensated Rs. 250,000 each.
“The biggest challenge was the absence of any precedent to guide us in determining compensation for such cases,” the Minister noted.
The technical committee established to investigate the incident recommended compensation ranging from Rs. 250,000 to Rs. 1 million particularly for cases involving legal blindness.
In addition to compensating the affected patients, the Government plans to pursue legal action against the supplier of the substandard drugs to ensure accountability.
