The third hospital of GHS was established in March, 2013 at Thakurgaon, about 419 km from Dhaka, named Grameen Eye Hospital, Thakurgaon. The catchment area of the hospital is Thakurgaon and Panchagarh districts. The populations of the catchments are 2.36 million and area is 3213 sq. km.

How Grameen Eye Hospital, Thakurgaon works-

Grameen Eye Hospital, Thakurgaon is providing services through well trained and experienced Ophthalmologists, Ophthalmic Assistants and the hospital staffs. Staffs of the hospital are trained from Aravind Eye Care System, India. Hospital is using modern equipment and latest technology for identifying problems and treating eye patients. The Doctors are specialized in performing cataract surgery by using Phaco emulsification machine. GHS has been supported by SEVA Foundation,USA and Aravind Eye Care System,India in human resource development of its 3rd hospital.

Services

GHS Grameen Eye Hospital, Thakurgaon is providing eye care services in two way to ensure eye care services to the all classes of the community -

1. At hospital and

2. At the satellite camp, organized in the remote most areas

At hospital, GHS hospitals are providing services eye examination & consultation by Ophthalmologist, investigation of eye diseases, cataract surgery, other eye surgery on Orbit & Oculoplasty, Cornea etc.

At the camp (community outreach program), patients are getting eye examination and prescription, required diagnostics services etc. Patients identified for surgery is brought to hospital and performed surgery at hospitals operation theater and brought to their their locality after surgery.(Details of Community Outreach Program/ Eye Camp)

Price of Services

At the hospital, registration fee is only BDT 100 ( $ 0.92). Patients gets eye examination and prescription by the registration fee. There are different types of services available for people of different classes of the community. Patients have option to choice their package of services depending upon their ability to pay.

There are various types of Cataract Surgery packages which starting from BDT 5,000 ($46.29) to BDT 75,000 ($694.44) depending upon IOL and technique using in the surgery. Other eye surgeries are provided at BDT 1,000 ($9.25) to BDT 5,500 ($50.921).

At the camp (community outreach program), patients are getting all services (eye examination and prescription, required diagnostics services etc.) free of cost. Cataract surgery is also free for poor and destitute. Subsidized rate of cataract surgery for the camp patients is BDT 2,650 ($24.53) but who cannot afford the cost are being subsidized.

Services Grameen Eye Hospital-Thakurgaon

1. Consulatation

2. ECCE/SICS With Rigid IOL

3. Phaco With Foldable IOL

4. ECCE

5. Stich Removal

6. Removal of Corneal F.B

7. Dressing

8. Inj.sub con.Substenon

9. Tarsorrahaphy

10. Release of Tarsorrhaphy

11. Epilation

12. Entropion/Ectropion Correction

13. Lid Repair

14. Enucleation/Evisceration

15. Chalazion

16. DCT

17. DCR

18. Pterygium(Simple)

19. Pterygium(Graft)

20. Eye Camp

21. Health Education

Performance of the Hospital

The hospital rendered services to 4,27,275 patients since its inception to 31th December,2023. Where 1,41,904 patients have been treated at free of charge in the weekly eye camps organized in the rural area. This hospital performed 23,006 eye surgeries from the inception to 31th December,2023. Among the surgery 17,625 are cataract surgeries. Hospital provided at free of cast cataract surgery to 2,993 poor and destitute patients.

NOTABLE FEATURES OF GHS'S EYE HOSPITALS

• Cross subsidy: earning from the rich patients are used for subsidizing the poor and destitute

• Community Outreach Program or Satellite program well known as Eye Camp to reach to the poor and provide services free of cost

• The hospitals charge only BDT 100 for outpatient services;

• The above mentioned services are provided at free of charges in the eye camps at remote villages operated by the hospitals;

• Distressed, poorest and helpless patients get free surgery from these hospitals;

• The eye camp patients get subsidy package for eye surgery only by BDT 2650;

• For low income, middle class and well off patients there are several options/packages for surgery which they can choose according to their affordability.

• Staffs are trained from Aravind Eye Care System, India.

• Introduced new treatment protocol and system in the area

Future Plan of the Hospital

1.Introduction Super specialty Eye care services on Glaucoma and Pediatrics.

2.Establishment of Vision centers /Consultation centers.