In Siliguri, search for another crematorium SMC Board chairman Gautam Deb says town needs two more

SNS, SILIGURI, 10 MAY 21, At a time when a lone electric crematorium has been designated for the cremation of patients dying from Covid-19, and the other one meant for non-Covid deaths remaining overburdened, the administration in Siliguri is planning for another such facility.

The chairperson of the board of administrators at the Siliguri Municipal Corporation, Gautam Deb, board members, civic body commissioner Sonam Wangdi Bhutia and other officials and engineers today visited Prakash Nagar under Ward 42 to see if additional crematoriums could be set up.

"The crematorium at Sahudangi on the outskirts of Siliguri is being used for cremating people who have died from Covid 19. But it is facing a pressure of bodies. The Kiranchandra crematorium in Siliguri town, which is used for cremations of non Covid19 bodies, has also been facing the pressure.

"Many bodies after postmortem at the North Bengal Medical College and Hospital (NBMCH) are also cremated there daily Now, in view of the pandemic situation, at least two more crematoriums are required in Siliguri," Mr Deb said.

There is one conventional crematorium at Ramghat under Ward 5.

Darj records 431 cases

Darjeeling district recorded 431 Covid-19 cases, while the Siliguri Municipal Corporation area, including Jaipaiguri district portions, detected 239 cases, sources said.

Eighty-three cases were found in Matigara Block, 64 in Naxalbari , 32 in Sukhia Pokhari, 12 each in Kurseong Municipality area and Mirk, nine in Kharibari, eight in Phansidewa and Sukna, seven each in Daljeeling Municipality Bijanbari and Takdah, and four in Mirik Municipality

13 Covid patients die

Thirteen persons, including a nine-day-old baby from Dhubri in Assam, who had tested positive for Covid-19, died in Siliguri the past 24 hours, sources. said. The newborn had been admitted in the NBMCH on 5 May. Ten of the 12 persons died at the North Bengal Medical College and Hospital. Among the 10 was a 65- year-old woman, a veteran sportsperson, of Bagdogra. Three more persons died in two private hospitals.

The health department has enlisted faculties of different medical colleges to coordinate management at hospitals meant for Covid -19 patients in the districts. The district clinical coordinators for Covid- 19 will work in coordination with the principals of medical colleges, and the health department. The protocol supervisors will consult the critically ill patients, it is learnt.

The clinical coordinators will arrange for the regular continuing medical education (CME) on Covid- 19 management, and visit hospitals, satellite Unit s, and safe homes for treatment.

Seventeen doctors of the medicine department will work as clinical coordinators in 20 districts in the state.

The associate professor of medicine at the North Bengal Medical College and Hospital, Dr Smarjit Banik will look after both Darjeeling and Jalpaiguri districts, the assistant professor at the Cooch Behar Medical College and Hospital Dr  Apu Adhikari has been given the responsibility of Alipurduar and Cooch Behar districts, the clinical tutor of medicine, Raiganj Medical College and Hospital, Dr  Tanmoy Roy, will look after North Dinajpur and South Dinajpur districts, while associate professor of the Malda Medical College and Hospital, Dr Piyush Mondal, will look into the same in Malda district.

"Those expert doctors will visit the wards, examine patients, especially those who are critical including those admitted in the Critical Care Units. If required, they will interact with the protocol supervisors and guide the doctors for the betterment of the overall management system," a source said.

According to officials, the protocol officers will also check whether protocols were being followed properly in hospitals, if required.