Doctor's Error Leads to Wrong Eye Procedure on 18-Month-Old

An 18-month-old child, Irtiza Ariz Hasan, underwent a procedure on the wrong eye at the Bangladesh Eye Hospital in Dhaka. The surgery, meant for his left eye, was mistakenly performed on his right. Upon realizing the error, the doctor quickly corrected it by performing the procedure on the left eye.

The incident, which occurred yesterday evening, has left the child's family distraught and seeking accountability. Irtiza's father, Md Mahmud Hasan, explained that they had brought their son to the hospital for a problem in his left eye. A doctor diagnosed it as dust in the eye lens, requiring surgical removal. The procedure began at 8:30 pm.

"After the surgery, we were shocked to find the right eye had been operated on. The doctor admitted the mistake, saying, 'Oh my God, sorry,'" Mahmud said. The doctor then performed the surgery on the left eye.

Mahmud also claimed that the hospital refused to provide a discharge report acknowledging the error. "The doctor admitted the mistake verbally but did not document it. Later, the doctor and her team left without informing us," he added.

Shahedara Begum, a consultant pediatric ophthalmologist, performed the surgery. Despite repeated attempts, she could not be reached for comment.

Qazi Mesbahul Alam, COO of Bangladesh Eye Hospital, acknowledged the error and called it a serious mistake. "Our doctor operated on the wrong eye without consulting the family. This is both disappointing and unfortunate," he said. Alam clarified that the procedure was not major, only the removal of dust from the eye lens.

A committee has been formed to investigate the incident. Alam assured that appropriate action would be taken if the family files a formal complaint.

The family is demanding justice, urging the hospital to take responsibility and prevent similar incidents in the future. "We want justice, not just for our child but to prevent other families from going through this nightmare," Mahmud said.