NBMCH readies Covid treatment facility- A 124-bed dedicated facility for Covid-19 patients is coming up at the NBMCH

SANKHA GHOSH, SNS, SILIGURI, 10 DECEMBER 2020 : A 124-bed dedicated facility for Covid-19 patients is coming up at the North Bengal Medical College and Hospital (NBMCH) in Siliguri while the health department is set to "release" two hospitals in Siliguri that it had overtaken for the treatment of patients. According to officials, such a decision has been taken as the number of Covid cases is declining.

The health department has also decided to set up a dedicated ward to treat patients with post-Covid-19 complications at the region's premier health facility

"Work on setting up a dedicated government-run hospital (for Covid patients) at the NBMCH is under way. It will be functional soon. As there has been a drop in the number of active Covid- 19 cases in the past several days, we are planning to release two private hospitals, at Kawakhali and Matigara, which had been requisitioned for Covid19 treatment, in a phased manner," the officer on special duty for Covid-19 in north Bengal, Dr Suasnta Roy, said today. Dr Roy today reviewed the status of patients, admissions and deaths at the NBMCH. The official said that 67 Covid patients had been admitted in the ICU and 176 patients in the general ward in the Kawakhali based Desun Hospital in the past one month (7 November-8 December), while the figures for the hospital at Matigara (Dr Chhang's Hospital) during the same period was 77 in the ICU and 206 in the general ward.

Accoiding to health department officials, the state government is spending a huge amount of money for treatment of Covid patients in those two hospitals. Desun hospital at Kawakhali is admitting patients in 60 beds under the private management, while remaining 160 beds are under the state government, as it had derequisitioned those (60) beds in September.

"We expect the 124-bed facility to be functional within a few days. NBMCH doctors will ensure treatment there. Twenty beds will be reserved for Critical Care Unit, and the remaining for general Covid-19 patients. Later, it will be meant for infectious diseases. We will first derequisition one hospital, and if the proposed facility is run properly, we will release the other," Dr Roy said.

He, meanwhile, said they were worried over findings that many people who have recovered from Covid-19 are suffering from complications such as lung fibrosis, heart ailments, neurological problems and arthritis.

"The post Covid complications are even leading to deaths. We discussed the treatment of those patients today and have decided to open a separate ward in the NBMCH for them. The ward will be upgraded as CCU with 12 beds. The area has been marked," Dr Roy said.