Rs. 1 mn compensation for patients who lost eyesight during Keheliya’s tenure

Colombo, July 7 (Daily Mirror) - The Government has decided to pay compensation of Rs. 1 million each to four patients who lost their eyesight or suffered vision impairment following eye surgeries after the use of Prednisolone Acetate eye drops at government hospitals during the tenure of former Health Minister Keheliya Rambukwella.

According to a decision based on investigations into the incident, compensation has already been paid to 17 patients who developed vision problems after undergoing eye surgeries at the Nuwara Eliya District General Hospital between March 3 and May 16, 2023.

The Health Ministry had appointed a special expert medical committee to examine cases reported from other hospitals where patients developed eye complications after the use of the same Prednisolone Acetate eye drops during eye surgeries.

Following the committee’s recommendations, compensation has been approved for four more patients who were affected and had lost their eyesight.

The decision to provide compensation to the additional four patients was taken after considering facts presented by the Minister of Health