Team to look into rising death cases in Siliguri

SANKHA CHOSH, SNS, SILIGURI, 25JUNE 2020: In the wake of a series of deaths of Covid- 19 patients in Siliguri, the health department has set up an eight-member team of experts representing different disciplines. At the same time, more medical officers, medical technicians and nursing staff will be appointed, especially for the critical care unit (CCU) of the dedicated (Desun) Covid Hospital at Kawakhali, where most of deaths are taking place.

Four patients who had tested positive for the virus died in a single day yesterday.

The health department said it may also cancel the license of nursing homes if complaints of refusal to take in patients are received.

The officer-on-special duty for Covid-19 in north Bengal, Dr Susanta Kumar Roy, held a review meeting at the North Bengal Medical College and Hospital (NBMCH) with health department officials and doctors of the NBMCH and the two dedicated hospitals for Covid19 in Siliguri. Darjeeling district magistrate S Ponnambalam also attended the meeting.

Dr Roy, however, attributed most of the deaths to co-morbidity like neurological and nephrological problems. He said pneumonia also contributed to one death.

"Covid-19 cases are on the rise in Siliguri and there are some deaths. In most of the cases, the patients had comorbidity like neurological, nephrological problems. One pneumonia patient also died. We reviewed the situation today to understand the cause of the jump in the death cases. In order to prevent the deaths of co-morbid patients, an eight-member team of superspecialists has been set up in Siliguri that includes a gastroenterologist, experts in neuromedicine, a neurosurgeon, neuruologist, cardiologist, orthopedist, and psychiatrist," Dr Roy said.

As part of upgrading the infrastructure of the CCU at the Desun Hospital, special medical officers, nursing staff and medical technicians will be appointed there, Dr Roy said. He said logistical support will also be ensured.

"Many patients are being admitted at the terminal stage for treatment. It may be following rejection by private nursing homes, and patients' diseases are getting complicated at home. Medical service providers are apparently finding no time for their treatment here, and around 12 -14 hours are not enough for proper treatment." Dr Roy added.

"We are receiving information about some private healthcare facilities refusing patients," he said.

Meanwhile, from now on, apart from hospitals treating Covid- 19 patients, the district administration will also inform families if the patients die.

Family members of a deceased in Ward 17 in Siliguri had alleged yesterday that they were not informed by the hospital of the man's death and they came to  know the same only after his cremation.

The health department, however, denied the allegations.

"The hospitals inform the family members when a patient dies. Now, the administration will also inform the family in case of such a situation. The families will be informed at both the ends, unless and until they are informed, the bodies will not be cremated," said Mr Poonambalam.

According to Dr Roy, the hospital had informed persons whose numbers were given during the admission of the person. "They may not have been direct family members," he said.

The Darjeeling district CPI-M secretary Jibesh Sarkar said they strongly condemned the incident where the body was allegedly cremated without informing the family members. Mr Sarkar said it was very painful and inhuman, and that such an act was illegal.

The member of the board of administrators, health, of the Siliguri Municipal Corporation Sankar Ghosh, also said such incidents reflected the weaknesses of the health department.

"We are demanding that those responsible for this be taken to task as per government rules, so as to prevent such incidents in the future," Mr Ghosh said.

Mr Ponnambalam said they have sressed on enforcing rigorous containment measures in areas to prevent the spread of the disease and break the chain of Covid19 infection.