A specialised eye hospital in feeble health 4 Shares 40000
A string of problems has gripped the Specialized National Institute of Ophthalmology and Hospital, rendering it less able to offer proper healthcare to patients.
The 250-bed public hospital, with all latest facilities, was built in the capital’s Agargaon area in 1989, but it is now offering inadequate services to patients.
The hospital has 13 most-modern operating theatres, beds, ICUs and post-operative rooms.
It also has a specialised outdoor and emergency department for patients round the clock.
The hospital authorities are of the opinion that patient presence is still limited due to lack of publicity.
During a visit to the hospital, this correspondent found eight rooms at outdoor department. An autistic corner aside, there are separate arrangements for aged patients who need not wait in a queue for a ticket.
There are nine separate departments—cataract, cornea, glaucoma, retina, oculoplasty, pediatric ophthalmology, neuron ophthalmology, community ophthalmology and low-vision. More than 70-72 operations are being performed per day in the 13 modern operating theatres.
All surgeries, including for Glaucoma, are free of cost in the hospital. Patients had to buy lenses prior to surgery, but now get it for free. The examination fee is charged at a rate fixed by the government. Essential injections such as Avastin for eyes is totally free in the hospital, said the authorities.
The 44-year-old Wahida Jahan came from Savar for Glaucoma treatment. She said, “I had been suffering from this diseases for more than two years, but couldn’t get proper treatment anywhere. But now I have been fully cured.”
Afzal Hossain, one of the patients who was sitting in front of the Cornea department door said, “I was very afraid about my eye condition because of not being treated at several hospitals. A local doctor suggested that I come here. Now I can see clearly after completing a surgery in my right eye.”
The 250-bed public hospital, with all latest facilities, was built in the capital’s Agargaon area in 1989, but it is now offering inadequate services to patients.
The hospital has 13 most-modern operating theatres, beds, ICUs and post-operative rooms.
It also has a specialised outdoor and emergency department for patients round the clock.
The hospital authorities are of the opinion that patient presence is still limited due to lack of publicity.
During a visit to the hospital, this correspondent found eight rooms at outdoor department. An autistic corner aside, there are separate arrangements for aged patients who need not wait in a queue for a ticket.
There are nine separate departments—cataract, cornea, glaucoma, retina, oculoplasty, pediatric ophthalmology, neuron ophthalmology, community ophthalmology and low-vision. More than 70-72 operations are being performed per day in the 13 modern operating theatres.
All surgeries, including for Glaucoma, are free of cost in the hospital. Patients had to buy lenses prior to surgery, but now get it for free. The examination fee is charged at a rate fixed by the government. Essential injections such as Avastin for eyes is totally free in the hospital, said the authorities.
The 44-year-old Wahida Jahan came from Savar for Glaucoma treatment. She said, “I had been suffering from this diseases for more than two years, but couldn’t get proper treatment anywhere. But now I have been fully cured.”
Afzal Hossain, one of the patients who was sitting in front of the Cornea department door said, “I was very afraid about my eye condition because of not being treated at several hospitals. A local doctor suggested that I come here. Now I can see clearly after completing a surgery in my right eye.”
“The doctors, nurses and staffs are very much cordial. Even the cost of my surgery was according to my capability,” Afzal added.
Not only Wahida and Afzal, there are thousands of patients who come to the hospital every day. Being a government hospital, there is no need to pay for various tests.
The hospital statistics said, around 2 lakh 5o thousand 450 patients have been treated in the hospital. The number of patients was low in 2016.
The hospital’s bed occupancy is not 100 percent. The hospital’s hospitality rate is 88 percent.
There are 119 doctors in contrast to 135 approved medical doctors in the hospital. The number of medical technologies is only 4. Besides, number of nurses is not adequate.
Dr Golam Mustafa, director of the hospital opines that both lack of bed occupancy and manpower, interrupt the advancement of the hospital.
“If the number of senior doctors, sanitary workers, and security personnel can be increased, the quality of service will be much better.” said Dr Golam Mustafa.
“The manpower is the same as it was when the hospital started, but the number of patients is increasing day by day,” he added.
“We’ve recently signed a memorandum of understanding with Aravind Eye Hospital for automation of the hospital. We hope we’ll be able to ensure better medical facilities for patients under the agreement.”
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