A team of five renowned ophthalmologists from Singapore has begun treating the patients in Dhaka who suffered eye injuries during the July Movement in Bangladesh.
The doctors examined eyes of over 100 patients at the National Institute of Ophthalmology and Hospital (NIO&H), Bangladesh Eye Hospital, assessed the treatment provided so far, and suggested future treatment and rehabilitation protocol for them on the first day of the two-day mission of the team on Saturday.
On the second day, they will see more patients at the two health facilities before they left Bangladesh on Sunday night, said a press release.
The members of the team are Donald Tan, Head of Eye and Cornea Surgery at Mount ElizabethNovena Hospital, Blanche Lim, Clinical Director of Ophthalmology at National University, Hospital, Ronald Yeoh, Associate Professor and Retina Surgeon at Singapore National Eye Centre, Nikolle Tan, Senior Consultant and Retina Specialist at Mount Elizabeth Novena Hospital, and Reuben Foo, Consultant Ophthalmologist at Singapore National Eye Centre.
The Singaporean ophthalmologists have come to Bangladesh under a joint initiative of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Ministry of Liberation War Affairs, BUET Amra92Foundation, Bangladesh Eye Hospital, (NIO&H), and Orbis International.
NIO&H H Director Prof Khair Ahmed Choudhury said the Singaporean doctors would assess the treatment and determine the further intervention. “If they (patients) require further intervention, another batch of doctors will come to offer it. If any patients need treatment abroad they will suggest it,” he said.
This is the fourth mission of foreign ophthalmologists for the treatment of July Movement victims.
Earlier a Chinese, a Nepalese and a French teams came to Bangladesh for their treatment.
According to NIO&H, several hundreds of the patients who sustained eye injuries during the movement received treatment at the government-run tertiary hospital.
Of them, over 400 suffered injuries in one eye and 55 in both eyes. Nine of the injured were sent abroad for advanced treatment.
