Senate sets up committee to probe patients’ blindness, after being injected at National Eye Centre

The Senate has set up a six-man ad hoc committee to investigate the case of blindness caused by the use of Avastin injection at the National Eye Centre, Kaduna.

This formed part of the resolution of the Senate at plenary on Wednesday.

Led by Sen. Mathew Urhoghide (PDP-Edo South), the committee has a mandate to report back in two weeks.

The committee was set up following a motion, by Sen. Aishatu Ahmed (APC Adamawa- Central), who recalled that ten people who went for minor eye treatments were rendered blind through the injection administered on them by the hospital on May 28.

“On May 28, 2019, ten patients visited the National Eye Centre Kaduna, unaided for poor eye sight due to cataract and other minor ailments.

“But to the shock of the patients and the general public at large, they went blind after taking an eye injection (Avastin Injection) at the centre.”

Other Senators in support of the motion included Sen. Chimaroke Nnamani (PDP Enugu-East), Sen. Abba Moro (PDP-Benue) Sen. Albert Bassey (PDP Akwa Ibom) and Sen. Opeyemi Bamidele (APC Ekiti-Central).

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The Senate, therefore, resolved to set up an Ad hoc committee to carry out a holistic investigation on the use of Avastin injection for eye treatment.

Apart from constituting the committee, the Senate also called on the National Agency for Foods and Drugs Administration and Control (NAFDAC) and Federal Ministry of Health to suspend the use of the injection across hospitals in Nigeria.

In his ruling, the President of Senate, Dr Ahmad Lawan, commended the mover of the motion and expressed serious concern over the plight of the victims.

“This is a very serious and sensitive matter, the Senate is here to ensure everyone in Nigeria is protected from such eventualities,” he said.

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