At least 14 people were blinded in one eye after botched cataract surgeries at a district hospital in Washim, around 450 km east of Mumbai. Even as this was being written, reports were coming in of doctors at JJ Hospital trying to prevent the loss of vision becoming permanent.

If there is even a sliver of hope in this story, it is that sight was restored to at least four patients after surgery in Mumbai. This is, unfortunately, a familiar story in several such medical ‘camps’ conducted across the country. While it may not be true of every such initiative, there are numerous instances of poor hygiene, botched procedures and shoddy follow-ups when it comes to operations.