Trauma centre plan

TT, Raiganj, Dec. 9: Road accident victims will not have to rush to either Siliguri or Malda as the district health department is opening a trauma care centre at the district hospital here next year.

According to police sources, North Dinajpur has 170km of the national highways, including NH34 that links Calcutta to north Bengal as well as northeastern India. In the past six months, there have been 253 road accidents on NH34 and NH31.

District magistrate Ayesha Rani said a team of medical officers from the Centre had inspected the district hospital.

"We have started drawing up a detailed project report that will be sent to the health ministry as soon as possible so that work can start at the beginning of next year," the district magistrate said.

Sources in the district health department pointed out that the only two hospitals along the two highways were in Raiganj and Islampur.