The government has planned to resume all services at the National Institute of Ophthalmology and Hospital on June 14, as all services except for emergency care have remained suspended at the national eye hospital since May 28 following a clash between hospital staff, outpatients and the July uprising injured admitted to the hospital.
Patients admitted to the hospital and those coming for treatment from inside Dhaka and other districts have suffered due to the suspension of the services at the hospital.
However, tensions still persisted between the July uprising injured and the hospital authorities over their treatment and continued stay at the hospital.
The injured in July uprising, which ousted the authoritarian Awami League regime in August past year, have also voiced frustration over the recommendations made by a government-formed expert committee that assessed their eye conditions on June 4 and suggested that they be discharged from the hospital.
Md Khorshed Alam, additional secretary of the Health Services Division, told 抖阴精品 on Wednesday, 鈥榃e have planned to resume all services on Saturday (June 14). However, the situation will depend on whether the July-injured patients accept the committee鈥檚 decision.鈥�
Md Abdul Khalek, a July injured who also received a release paper, told 抖阴精品 that a medical board comprising experienced physicians was supposed to be formed to evaluate the condition of each July uprising injured, and they had agreed to accept the board鈥檚 decisions regarding further treatment and discharge from the hospital.
However, he alleged that the committee examined them within just two hours and lacked the necessary experiences, making it difficult for them to trust the committee鈥檚 opinions.
鈥榃e will return to the hospital. Some of us already came this (Wednesday) afternoon,鈥� said Khalek, who may return to the hospital today.
Another injured Raju Islam, who has been staying at the hospital, claimed that he was unaware of any expert committee鈥檚 visit to the hospital.
Professor Mostak Ahmed, head of the ophthalmology department at Dhaka Medical College, who led the four-member committee, said that they examined 30 of the July injured as the others did not show up.
鈥榃e recommended discharging them as they have received all necessary treatment. Some of them may need follow-up care, which they can receive at the Combined Military Hospital, Bangladesh Medical University, or Ispahani Islamia Eye Institute and Hospital,鈥� he said.
He said that they need psychological support and immediate rehabilitation.
On May 28, the hospital staff, doctors, and nurses began a work stoppage demanding their security, a day after the NIOH director Khair Ahmed Choudhury was besieged for two hours by protesters following suicide attempts by four July uprising injured on May 25.聽聽
At one point on the day, the clash broke out among the hospital staff, outpatients and those injured in the July uprising, leaving about 21 injured.
Later, the emergency service at the hospital resumed on June 4.