MORE BEDS, SCANNING MACHINES AND OTHER FACILITIES TO BE SET UPGovt lines up plan to boost hospitals in hills, plains

BINITA PAUL, TT, 13 Oct 2019, Siliguri: The government plans to improve the infrastructure of health establishments in Darjeeling district, both in the hills and the plains, to extend better services to patients.

According to district health officials, 46 health sub-centres -- five in the hills and 41 in the plains -- of the district would be upgraded to Suswasthya Kendras.

Also, work to augment power supply for installation of CT Scan machines at the district hospital in Darjeeling has been taken up to ensure patients get the facility there and do not need to come down to the plains.

Pralay Acharya, the chief medical officer of health (CMOH), Darjeeling, said: "We have decided to open and improve paying wards at the Siliguri and Darjeeling district hospitals. The site where this ward will come up in Siliguri hospital has been earmarked. Engineers will pay a visit soon to draw up structural plans. In Darjeeling, though the district hospital has a paying ward, we will renovate it thoroughly for better servicesAt the paying ward, patients can get a cabin that will have television sets, attached toilets and lockers.

The number of beds has not been decided for the Siliguri hospital. In Darjeeling, there are 20 cabins -- 10 each for male and female patients -- the CMOH said.

Sources said the block hospital in Mirik, located 50km from here which was earlier upgraded to a sub-divisional hospital and has 30 beds now, will have 100 beds. It will also be backed up by a blood bank, separate medical and surgical wards for male and female patients, a paediatric unit for sick new-borns.

"The number of doctors will also be increased at the Mirik hospital along with the number of beds. We will appoint doctors in various departments of the hospital, including an anaesthetist, two gynaecologists, a surgeon and two paediatricians," Acharya said.

Also, in Siliguri district hospital, four more beds would be added in the fivebedded dialysis unit, said Rudranath Battacharya, chairman of the Rogi Kalyan Samiti of the hospital.

"The work on a new kitchen at Siliguri district hospital is almost done. We are also planning to open a new canteen for outdoor patients at North Bengal Medical College and Hospital,' said Bhattacharya.

In the NBMCH, over 4,000 patients visit the outpatient departments every day.

"We have plans to build a night-shelter in NBMCH for friends and relatives of patients," said an official.