Outpatient services at the National Institute of Ophthalmology and Hospital in the capital resumed on Thursday morning, after remaining suspended for over two weeks.
Ticket distribution began at 9am at the outpatient department, according to media reports.
By around 9:30am, hundreds of patients were waiting for medical attention.
Notably, on May 28, clashes broke out between injured July warriors and doctors, nurses, and staff at the hospital.
In the aftermath, the country’s largest specialized eye hospital ceased all medical services, prompting admitted patients to leave the facility.
On June 4, emergency services at the hospital resumed on a limited scale.
According to doctors and nurses working in the emergency unit, at least 80 patients received treatment on Wednesday, while five underwent surgery.
Around 30 patients are currently admitted to the emergency unit, they said.
Doctors and nurses at the hospital said outpatient services will be provided till 1pm.
However, apart from the emergency and outpatient departments, all other services at the hospital remain suspended, causing continued suffering for patients.
Members of the police, Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), and Ansar were seen stationed at the hospital.
Acting hospital director Md Zan-E-Alam Mridha told a Bangla daily: “We had already announced a gradual reopening of services. Ticket distribution for outpatient care will continue until 12pm today, with treatment available until 1pm. We plan to resume full services on Saturday.”
Before the Eid holidays, 54 people injured in the July uprising were admitted to the hospital.
Except for a few, most have left, but according to hospital authorities, none of them were formally discharged.
A government-appointed expert committee has instructed that formal discharge papers be issued for those injured during the uprising.
However, hospital authorities remain concerned about what might happen if they return after Eid.
“The injured individuals staying at the hospital are not providing us with any information,” said Mridha.
