National eye hospital: Full services resume amid tight security

Medical services at the National Institute of Ophthalmology and Hospital resumed fully yesterday, more than two weeks after operations were suspended due to a clash on the hospital premises.

Total 1,443 patients took treatment at outdoor while 67 patients got admitted and an emergency operation was carried out till 2:00pm yesterday, Zane Alam, acting director of the NIOH, told The Daily Star.

A doctor at the facility said that around 20 individuals injured in the July uprising—who had received treatment at the hospital but left without notifying the authorities—attempted to re-enter the premises on two occasions. Police reportedly prevented them from entering.

Photo: Tuhin Shubhra Adhikary

Talking to reporters, he said although they have been trying to normalise the services, they were still not out of security concerns.

"We are having to run a hospital under police and army guard," he said. Zane Alam was carrying out his duties from resident physician office, instead of his own due to security concern.

A doctor at the facility said that around 20 individuals injured in the July uprising -- who had received treatment at the hospital but left without notifying the authorities -- attempted to re-enter the premises on two occasions till 12:30pm.

Police prevented them from entering, he said wishing not to be named.

Zane Alam said, "According to hospital regulations, they [July injured] have been declared absconders. Therefore, they are not permitted to enter the hospital."

He added that five individuals injured in the July incident remain at the hospital but they were no longer requiring admission.

"We have prepared their discharge letters, and they may leave at any time," he said.

Asked what would happen if they refused to leave, he stated, "We will act according to directives from the health ministry."

"We are not barring any of the July injured from receiving treatment here," he said in response to another question.

"But they must do so in accordance with hospital rules," he added.

Raju Islam, one of the five July injured persons at hospital now, said they were not aware that the hospital prepared discharge letter for them. "We will leave if we no longer require treatment," he added.

The 250-bed facility, the country's largest public eye hospital, had halted all services on May 28 after a confrontation between hospital staff and a group of patients injured during the July uprising, alongside other patients and their attendants.

The suspension left thousands of eye patients across the country, as around 3,000 patients take service from outdoor daily at normal time, doctors said.

While emergency services partially resumed on June 4 and outpatient care recommenced on Thursday, full-scale operations across all departments remained suspended until yesterday.