An inquiry into 15 persons losing vision in one eye following cataract surgeries at a private hospital in Indore has revealed that the doctors allegedly carried on with operations even after coming to know about infections in earlier cases.

The hospital denied the findings of the inquiry committee set up by the government. Eight patients were operated upon for cataract removal at Indore Netra Chikitsalaya on August 5. Four of them told the doctors about swelling of the eye and reported signs of bacterial infection the next day, Additional District Magistrate (ADM) Kailash Wankhede said on August 21.

The hospital even started their treatment, he told PTI. "But even after being aware of bacterial infections in the affected eye of these patients, the hospital organised a cataract surgery camp on August 8. At this camp, 14 people were operated upon and 11 of them were later found to have contracted bacterial infection," the ADM said. "As per the medical protocol, the hospital should have cancelled the cataract surgery camp of August 8," he said.

In 2011, 18 people had lost vision following botched eye surgeries at Indore Netra Chikitsalaya, but the hospital management did not learn a lesson, the ADM added. The inquiry committee submitted its report to district collector Lokesh Kumar Jatav. Jatav told PTI that based on the report, he has recommended to the Principal Secretary (Health) that the hospital should not be allowed to conduct any surgeries in future, and Dr T S Hora, in-charge of district blindness control society, be sent on forced retirement. Dr Hora has been suspended at present.

The state government cancelled the registration of Indore Netra Chikitsalaya -- which is run by a charitable trust -- after the reports of botched surgeries came. The hospital's senior doctor Sudhir Mahashabde denied on Wednesday that they had learnt about earlier patients developing infections as early as August 6. On August 9 the hospital found signs of bacterial infection in the eyes of the patients who had undergone surgery on August 8, and the next day it stopped new operations, he claimed.

The hospital had taken all necessary measures to avoid infection, he said. Five of the 15 affected patients have been sent to Shankar Netralaya, Chennai, while eight are being treated at Choitharam Hospital here. The affected eye of two victims had to be removed to stop the spread of infection.