Patuakhali BNSB Eye Hospital, the lone modern eye hospital in Barisal division set up by a German donor agency, is now limping after over ten years' laudable service.

It is now in financial crisis as the donor's period of assistance expired in 2002.

The 25-bed hospital wad set up in Patuakhali town by Andhery Hilfee in cooperation with the Bangladesh National Society for Blind (BNSB) and CARITAS in 1991. It started giving services in September, 1993. As per agreement, the Andhery Hilfee bore all expenditure of the hospital for ten years.

Monthly establishment cost of the hospital about Tk three lakh but its average income is about Tk one lakh 50 thousand only, Mostaque Ahmed, its Honorary Secretary and pourasabha chairman told this correspondent. A 19-member executive body runs the hospitals.

The rest of the expenditure is met from donations, which is uncertain.

Thirty-four staff including consultants and surgeons work at the hospital, housed in a two-storied building at Kaler Pupurpar, constructed on 0.66 acres of land donated by the municipality.

Patients from different areas of Patuakhali, Barisal, Bhola, Barguna, Jhalokathi and Pirojpur came to the hospital for treatment. There are all facilities including those for operation at the hospital.

Sources at the hospital said about five lakh eye patients got treatment at the hospital since its

establishment.

The hospital provides indoor and outdoor treatment, holds free eye camps and runs a free eye test programme in primary schools.

A patient can get outdoor treatment facility by paying Tk 20 only. Intra Ocular Lens (IOL) microsurgery costs Tk 4000 to 6500.