Controversy after PG Opthalmology student hired at District Hospital performs 44 surgeries without completion of Degree

Hisar: In a disturbing incident at Hisar Civil Hospital, a postgraduate medico performed eye surgeries on 44 patients over three months, despite not holding a valid postgraduate degree in ophthalmology. Although the doctor has been banned from conducting further surgeries, he claimed that he operated on the patients after being appointed by the Health Department.

According to recent media reports, the doctor was undergoing a postgraduate course and was yet to pass the exam when the health department appointed him as the eye surgeon of Hisar Civil Hospital. This appointment come after three posts for eye surgeons became vacant in the eye department of Hisar General Hospital.

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By the time, the deputy director of the National Program for the Control of Blindness (NPCB) banned him from performing further surgeries, the doctor had already performed 44 surgeries under the supervision of another eye surgeon who completed 27 eye surgeries.

As per News 18 news report, the incident took place between April and July when the doctor was appointed. Following his appointment, the number of eye surgeons at the hospital rose to two. At that time, a female eye surgeon was actively performing surgeries on patients, having completed 27 procedures, while the newly appointed doctor performed 44.

It was reported that he conducted the surgeries under the supervision of the female eye surgeon. However, the health department later promoted and transferred the female eye surgeon to another hospital which left him in charge.

After he became in charge of the surgeries, the NPCB took a dig and found that he was operating without a valid degree. Therefore, they halted his surgeries and banned him from operating further. When the health department became aware they initiated an investigation into the matter and sent the doctor on leave to prepare for his exam.

Due to the lack of eye surgeons at Hisar Civil Hospital, the health department is reported to have appointed a doctor who was still undergoing his PG studies in a rush to fill the vacancies since three surgeons resigned to join private hospitals, leaving the department critically understaffed.

After the doctor was banned, no eye surgeries were performed for about four months and the hospital's eye department is reeling under a shortage of specialists. Hisar Civil Hospital’s eye department is known for conducting over 1,000 surgeries annually. However, this year, only 71 surgeries were performed in 11 months, as per News 18 reports.

Civil Surgeon Dr Sapna Gehlawat told TOI, "At present, eye surgery is being done in Agroha Medical College. A letter has been written to the department to appoint an eye surgeon here."

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