Iranian media reported that nine people became blind at an ophthalmology center due to the use of a “wrong medication.” These individuals developed severe eye infections after cataract surgeries, and some are now at risk of eye removal due to the severity of the infection.
The newspaper Sazandegi reported that the incident occurred at the Negah Ophthalmology Center in one of the northern districts of Tehran. Despite media follow-ups in recent days, the officials at Negah Hospital have not provided any explanation or taken responsibility for the disaster.
According to media reports, documents reveal that the cause of the eye infections in these patients was contamination with a type of bacteria called Pseudomonas aeruginosa. This contamination was confirmed to have occurred following eye surgeries at the hospital.
The news website Tabnak also reported that the number of affected individuals is nine, stating: “Unfortunately, at least four of them have undergone eye removal.”
The website emphasized that one of the doctors transferred patients to other hospitals for treatment to prevent a recurrence of the incident. However, the management of this hospital reprimanded the doctor due to concerns about the shareholders’ and investors’ interests in the clinic.
Medical malpractice in Iran has increased in recent years, often resulting in severe consequences, including confrontations between patients’ families and healthcare workers.
Experts in this field believe that the mass migration of doctors and nurses is one of the main reasons for the rise in medical errors, a trend that is expected to continue with the increasing emigration of healthcare professionals.
Previously, the state-controlled newspaper Jomhouri-e Eslami reported that “from March to December 2024, 4,500 more healthcare professionals applied to emigrate.”
The official Iranian news agency IRNA also reported that the number of members of the Iranian Medical Council who obtained a “Good Standing” certificate for emigration increased from around 750 in 2018 to over 6,000 in 2022, reflecting more than an eightfold rise. This trend has recorded even higher numbers in 2023 and 2024.
