Left Front wants Covid vaccines ensured: Four Covid patients die in Siliguri

SNS, SILIGURI, 24 APRIL 21 : The Left Front has demanded that the government ensure Covid-19 vaccines as many vaccination sites have deferred the ongoing vaccine drive because of a shortage of doses.

A Left Front delegation led by former Siliguri mayor and senior CPI-M leader Asok Bhattacharya today met the administrator of the Siliguri Muncipal Corporation Surendra Gupta, who is also the nodal officer for 'supervising and coordinating' different activities to control the spread of Covid-19 in Darjeeling and Kalimpong districts, to press for the demands.

"There has been a shortage of Covid- 19 vaccines, and we have demanded steps be taken so that the people get the vaccines at the earliest. Many people who are turning up at vaccination centres for the second doses are being turned away and told that doses are not available. We have requested him to consider the issue on a priority basis," Mr Bhattacharya said.

According to him, Mr Gupta has assured them that the safe home at the Siliguri Municipal Corporation Indoor Stadium will be functional soon and that there should not be any problem on getting oxygen cylinders.

The Left Front served a memorandum in this regard to Mr Gupta.

Mr Bhattacharya also demanded proper monitoring of doctors in checking the health condition of patients in home isolation.

Meanwhile, a tele-consultation facility has been introduced with nine specialist doctors, including the departments of medicine, chest medicine, pathology, and gynecology, for patients at the North Bengal Medical College and Hospital.

Lack of monitoring of home isolation patients

Voluntary organisations today criticized what they alleged was a lack of monitoring of Covid-19 patients in home isolation. They expressed fears that it will contribute to the rise in the virus cases in the town.

Animesh Bose, the convener of Siliguri Fights Corona, a consortium of voluntary organisations, said they had estimated around 1000 patients were under home isolation presently.

"We have tried to draw the attention of the administration and the civic body to the importance of monitoring the health of patients in home isolation. But unfortunately no step is taken, and many positive patients are themselves stepping outside to buy medicines as no system is in place to deliver them and other essential commodities at their homes. The civic body, ward committees, had efficiently ensured those services last year. Covid-19-hit families used to get yellow bags for biomedical waste. The biomedicaI waste used to be collected and disposed of separately from the household waste of families of Covid- 19 patients last year, but this year no such arrangement is in place," Mr Bose said.

According to officials, it was easier to take those steps back then as elected ward councillors were acting as coordinators following the completion of the five-year term of the elected board at the SMC. The administrator was appointed at the civic body on 22 March this year after the Election Commission of India ordered removal of political appointees as chairpersons of boards of administrators.

Meanwhile, members of the Covid Care Network and Siliguri Fights Corona today met the Deputy Commissioner of Siliguri Metropolitan Police (Head-quarters) Joy Tudu and urged him to penalize people who flouted Covid-19 protocols, and to ensure strict vigilance to curb unnecessary gathering at parks and other places.

Health dept expedites HDU work

The health department has expedited the process to augment 96 beds in the high dependency unit (HDU) at the North Bengal Medical College and Hospital (NBMCH) in

Siliguri. The step has been taken following an exponential surge in the number of Covid-19 cases. Darjeeling district recorded 330 new cases in the past 24 hours, while the Siliguri Municipal Corporation area, including those under Jalpaiguri district, registered 213 cases.

The nodal officer for Covid-19 in Darjeeling and Kalimpong districts, Surendra Gupta, visited the hospital to review the infrastructure of the proposed  HDU. Mr Gupta held a meeting with health department officials and the NBMCH authorities over the matter.

Four Covid patients die in Siliguri

Meanwhile, four persons, who had tested positive for Covid- 19, died in Siliguri today.

A 52-year-old resident of Pradh ann agar in Siliguri had been admitted in the NBMCI I on 22 April, and a 75-year-old woman from the same area had been admitted there yesterday.

A 50-year-old resident of Kharibari died in a private nursing home, and a 93-year-old from I alpaiguri died in another nursing home, sources said.

On the other hand, 54 cases in Darjeeling were found in Matigara, 48 in N axalbari, 15 in Kurseong Municipality area, 15 in Su kna, seven in Ph ansidewa, seven in Takdah, six in Darjeeling Municipality, four each in Sukhi a Pokhari and Bijanbari, two cases in Mirik and one case in the Mink Municipality area, sources said.SNS, Siliguri, 24 April 21 : Meanwhile, four persons, who had tested positive for Covid- 19, died in Siliguri today.

A 52-year-old resident of Pradhannagar in Siliguri had been admitted in the NBMCH on 22 April, and a 75-year- old woman from the same area had been admitted there yesterday.

A 50-year-old resident of Kharibari died in a private nursing home, and a 93-year-old from Jalpaiguri died in another nursing home, sources said.

On the other hand, 54 cases in Darjeeling were found in Matigara, 48 in Naxalbari, 15 in Kurseong Municipality area, 15 in Sukna, seven in Phansidewa, seven in Takdah, six in Darjeeling Municipality, four each in Sukhia Pokhari and Bijanbari, two cases in Mirik and one case in the Mirik Municipality area, sources said.