The Crime Desk: Medical services at the National Ophthalmology Institute and the hospital were closed for five days until Sunday. The two main gates to the hospital are locked. Police and Ansar members are inside.
Media workers went to the 250-bed National Ophthalmology Institute in Agargaon and saw that patients coming from far and wide were returning after seeing the gates locked. Some patients were asking Ansar members, Why was the hospital closed? I am coming from so far away; I have no place to stay in Dhaka. Where should I go? In response, Ansar members assigned to security said that the hospital was closed due to the fight. I cannot say when the services will resume. Patients are being referred to other hospitals.
More than three thousand patients come to this hospital for treatment in the outpatient department every day. More than a hundred patients undergo surgery every day. For the past five days, operations and medical services for a large number of patients have been closed.
On May 28, a fight broke out between the employees of the Ophthalmology Institute and those injured in the July movement under treatment. After this incident, all types of treatment and operations, including emergency, were stopped at the hospital. That day, there was a chase and counter-chase. Patients undergoing treatment and those arriving left the hospital in panic. It is known that people from both sides were injured in this fight. However, 15-20 people, including doctors, nurses, and employees, were injured. It is known that 10 people undergoing treatment were injured in the July movement.
In protest of this incident, doctors, nurses, and employees have stopped work. They said that they will not join work if security arrangements are not ensured.
Yesterday afternoon, a patient named Tahmina Khatun (35) from Tala Upazila of Satkhira came to this hospital for treatment. An Ansar member told her that treatment was stopped at the hospital. He advised her to go to another hospital.
The patient said, I came from all this way, and the doctor said that if I go to this hospital in Dhaka, I will get good eye treatment. That is why I came. Tahmina’s husband died. She is earning a living by working in some way. She said, ‘Where will I live now?’ It is not possible for me to go to another hospital and get treatment.’ A large number of patients like Tahmina are returning to the Institute of Ophthalmology without receiving treatment.
Specialist doctors have expressed the opinion that it is urgent to resolve the issue. A hospital official said that 55 people injured in the July movement and 20-25 patients, including women, are undergoing treatment. An official said that the Health Ministry has taken initiatives to resolve the issue. When several top officials of the Health Department were called, they did not answer the phone.
