63 fresh cases in Darjeeling district

The government has derequisitioned 60 beds at the hospital. Now, our focus will remain on utilization of the 100 remaining beds for patients.There is, however, no scarcity of beds at the two hospitals, 111 fresh cases in Malda

SNS, SILIGURI, 17 SEPTEMBER : One of the two dedicated hospitals for Covid-19 patient s in Siliguri will start admitting patients for treatment in 60 beds under "private management," while the remaining 100 beds will be under the state government as it has de-requisitioned the 60 beds.

The state health and family welfare department had earlier in April taken over Desun Hospital at Kawakhali for the treatment of Covid-19 symptoms-those suffering from severe acute respitatory infections or influenza-like illness. Later, on 5 June, the health department designated the hospital as Level-IV for Covid patients.

Senior administrative officials today said the nursing home authorities will now decide as to how the 60 beds will be utilised.

"The government has derequisitioned 60 beds at the hospital. Now, our focus will remain on utilization of the 100 remaining beds for patients.There is, however, no scarcity of beds at the two hospitals," the official added.

Another facility that the government has taken over for Covid patients is Dr Chhang's Hospital at Matigara.

Sources said patients that the health department refers will be given "government treatment' in the Desun hospital.

"However, if those government beds are pre-occupied, patients will go under private treatment. This apart, whoever wants to opt for private treatment can do so in the 60 beds," sources said.

The sources added that the state government pays around Rs 1 crore to the hospital every month.

Many public health specialists, however, apprehended that the move will prompt patients to accept private treatment facilities. They believe that it will affect people belonging to the economically weaker section of society.

Training for doctors in Critical Care Units

Meanwhile, in an effort to give facilities for critical Covid patients a boost, doctors working in critical care units (CCU) in north Bengal will be given training.

"Doctors associated with CCUs in north Bengal will be trained by senior doctors and experts of the North Bengal Medical College and Hospital (NBMCH) so that more updated services to patients are ensured," a senior doctor said.

Health experts said that the CCU plays an important role in the treatment of critical Covid patients.

"The CCU always plays a very im portant role in health-care at hospitals. But its importance has increased manifold now, as many Covid patients have comorbidities in Bengal," the doctor said.

The Covid hospital at Biswa Bangla Krirangan in Siliguri has 25 CCU beds, while Desun and Dr Chhang's have 48 and 22 beds, respectively.

The head of the department of anesthesia at the Medical College &   Hospital, Kolkata, Prof Ashim Kundu, who recently toured five north Bengal districts of Alipurduar, Cooch Behar, Jalpaiguri, Darjeeling and Kalimpong, to review the infrastructure of CCUs in Covid hospitals, has expressed satisfaction.

Sources said some hospitals had given him some proposal on the up-gradation of the facilities.

"I have observed the infrastructure is satisfactory. I will submit the reports to the state government," Prof Kundu, who held a meeting at the NBMCH today, said (SNS photo).

Meanwhile, sources said around 800 ventilators have been given to different health facilities. Health department officials said 150 verntilators had been sent to north Bengal and that 20 of them had been given to the NBMCH. It now has more than 30 ventilators, while 10 of them are used in the respiratory intensive care unit.

63 fresh cases in Darjeeling district

Darjeeling district, meanwhile, recorded 63 Covid-19 cases in the past 24 hours,while Siliguri Municipal Corporation had 26 cases, of which 15 were in areas falling in the district, sources said.

Fourteen cascs were detected in Naxalbari, nine in Matigara and six in Phansidewa blocks. Darjeeling Municipality registered 10 cases, five were reported in Mirik, three at Pulbazaar, and one case at Sukhia Pokhari.

A total of 73 patients have either been discharged from hospitals or completed their home isolation today.

Three digit figures for fresh daily Covid cases were back to haunt Malda today, following a dip in the number of such cases in the past several days earlier. The district recorded 111 fresh cases in tests conducted among 1310 samples in theVRDL in the Malda Medical College and Hospital, sources said. Twenty-nine of the cases are from Habibpur, while Ratua-III had 21, and Harishchandrapur-II reported 20 cases.

52 in South Dinajpur

South Dinajpur detected 52 new cases, while only 389 samples had been collected all over the district in the past 24 hours, sources said.The total number of patients as per records at the district health department is 4665. A total of 99 patients have been discharged from hospitals in the past 24 hours.

36 in North Dinajpur

North Dinajpur detected 36 fresh cases in the past 24 hours. The new cases have taken the district case tally to 2972, sources said. According to officials at the district health office, there are now 490 active cases in the district. "They are undergoing treannent in Covid hospitals in Raiganj and Islampur and in home isolation," sources said.

"A total of27 personshave died till date, while the recovery rate in thedistrict is more than 78 percent. The spread of the virus is coming under control day by day," an official said.

Source: er thestatesman com/c/55033876