Minister of Health Nalinda Jayatissa announced today ( January 7) in Parliament that compensation will be provided to 17 patients who developed complications after cataract surgeries at the Nuwara Eliya District Hospital in 2023.
Minister Jayatissa explained that Cabinet approval has been received to offer compensation to these patients, some of whom completely lost their eyesight. He added that a committee led by an Additional Secretary from the Ministry of Health had been formed to investigate the incident, and the report has been submitted.
Based on the findings, the government decided to provide compensation and is setting up a system for this purpose. Minister Jayatissa also confirmed that legal action would be taken against the company that imported the medication responsible for the complications.
The incident occurred in May 2023 when several patients’ eyesight weakened or was lost after cataract surgeries. It was later found that the problem was caused by germs in a medicine imported from India, which was administered to the patients after the surgery.
