Patients admitted to the National Institute of Ophthalmology and Hospital and those coming to the hospital for treatment from Dhaka and other districts continued to suffer on Sunday as treatment remained suspended for the fifth consecutive day.
Treatment at the hospital, located in Dhaka鈥檚 Agargaon area, was suspended after a clash broke out on May 28 between the hospital staff, outpatients and the July uprising injured who were admitted to the hospital.
During a visit to the hospital on Sunday between 10:00am and 11:00am, patients seeking treatment were seen being turned away by the members of Bangladesh Ansar deployed there, leaving them helpless.
Nasreen, who came with her 48-days-old newborn boy from Sonargaon in Narayanganj, said that her baby had an eye problem and a doctor at the hospital attended him two weeks ago and asked them to come back today.
鈥業 do not understand how a public hospital like NIOH remains closed for days,鈥� said the mother, who appeared tense about her newborn鈥檚 treatment.
An Ansar member, who was working as security at the hospital鈥檚 main gate, said that they had turned away around 1,000 patients since the previous night up until 11:00am on Sunday, and that around 5,000 to 6,000 people visit the hospital every day for treatment.
Anguri Begum, who cannot see and has neurological problem, came at the hospital for treatment at about 9:00am from Dewanganj in Jamalpur with her brother traveling the whole night by train.
As they have no one in the city, they will have to return to Jamalpur today.
On Saturday, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare said in a press release that treatment at the hospital remained suspended following the clash, as physicians and other healthcare providers felt extremely insecure.听
Having asked for sincere apology for the disruption in services at the hospital, the ministry requested the patients to seek treatment at the nearby hospitals.
All necessary steps would be taken to fully resume medical services at the hospital once a safe and supportive environment was ensured, it said, adding that meals were served in special arrangement for the July injured.
Mostakim, who sustained an eye injury on August 5 in Uttara鈥檚 Azampur and lost his left eye, is currently undergoing treatment at the hospital.
He said those injured in July also want the hospital to reopen as soon as possible.
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However, they have provided a list of around 20 to 25 doctors, staff, and hospital workers to the July Shaheed Smrity Foundation whom they believe were involved in irregularities and want them removed from the hospital.
Following the situation, many in-patients have already left, said the patients who had still remained. Except for the July injured, around 25 general patients were still staying at the hospital as of Sunday, they said.
