NBMCH gets dedicated eye operation theatre

SNS, SILIGURI, 3 DECEMBER 2020 : A dedicated OT (Operation Theater) Complex of the eye department of the North Bengal Medical College and Hospital (NBMCH) was inaugurated today. Officials said funds for the proposed eye bank have, meanwhile, been sanctioned.

The NBMCH used to perform eye surgeries at the main OT.

There will be three OTs-one to be used for cases of septic, injuries and other emergency purposes with one bed. OT I is meant for cataract, glaucoma, other anterior segment  surgeries, and keratoplasty, with three beds. OT- II will be used for retinal surgery. However, OT-II will not be functional now.

"The first such dedicated OT complex will benefit patients," said the head of the department, Dr Mukul Biswas.

Dr Susanta Kumar Roy, an ophthalmologist and Officer on special duty for Covid19, who inaugurated the facility, said such an OT was the need of the hour at the principal referral hospital.

NBMCH principal Prof Prabir Kumar Deb said the surgery and anesthesiology departments will support the new OT.

According to department sources, the OT now needs adequate manpower.

Apart from Dr Biswas, there are two associate professors, two assistant professors, one resident medical officer, and one medical officer in the department.

Meanwhile, around Rs 6 lakh has been sanctioned for the infrastructure development for the proposed eye bank.

There had been an eye bank at the NBMCH more than four decades ago, but it has remained non-functional.

"We are expecting that the eye bank will be functional from early next year. We have received some equipment like one specialized microscope, but more will come. The state government has allotted Rs 6 lakh for chill and electrical works of the PWD," doctors of the department said.

An ophthalmologist of the department said they will first focus on the hospital cornea retrieval programme.

"There will be an intensive campaign as part of the hospital cornea retrieval programme to give sight to more people suffering from corneal blindness.A grief counsellor will be appointed, whose job will be to persuade families, psychologically motivate relatives of dead patients to donate corneas so that two people without vision could be given a cornea each. We will transplant the cornea at the OT as per the requitement. Later, we will reach out to the people for eye donation posthumously," she said, adding that the eye bank will also help in research work for academic purposes.