Seventeen patients who underwent cataract surgery at the Nuwara Eliya Hospital and subsequently lost their vision will be compensated, the Cabinet of Ministers has decided.
The decision was made following deliberations by a technical committee tasked with investigating the issue, which arose due to the use of substandard drugs during the treatment of these patients.
According to Cabinet Spokesperson Minister Nalinda Jayathissa, compensation will be distributed as follows: 12 patients will receive Rs. 1,000,000 each, two patients will receive Rs. 750,000 each, one patient will receive Rs. 700,000, and two patients will receive Rs. 250,000 each.
“The biggest challenge was the absence of any precedent to guide us in determining compensation for such cases,” Minister Jayathissa explained.
Consequently, the technical committee recommended compensation amounts ranging from the standard compensation amount of Rs. 250,000 to a maximum of Rs. 1 million for cases involving legal blindness.
Meanwhile, the government will also take legal action against the supplier of the substandard medicines, Minister Jayathissa added. (Islandnews)
