NICED campus: Team likely to visit NICED campus: Team likely to visit NBMCH

ICMR-NICED had been planning to develop its unit at the NBMCH since 2006. 

SNS, SILIGURI, 30 OCTOBER 2022 : A team of ICMR-National Institute of Cholera and Enteric Diseases (NICED) is likely to visit the North Bengal Medical College and Hospital (NBMCH) in Siliguri next month to "study the area" in its plans to set up its second campus for north Bengal. 

NBMCH sources said authorities had sent reports to the state health department over the status of the land and a built-up area as the department had sought for the same before Durga Puja. 

"A team of ICMR-NICED may visit the NBMCH in November," said NBMCH superintendent Dr Sanjay Mallik. 

Sources said discussions over the second campus had been going on for the past few years, but it had not materialized. 

"The process was hit during the Covid- 19 pandemic. The ICMR-NICED had sought detailed reports from the health department, and we have sent the reports," the sources said. 

The NBMCH patient welfare committee chairman and Siliguri Mayor Gautam Deb said the ICMR-NICED was likely to set up its infrastructure on 15 cottah of land on the NBMCH premises. 

ICMR-NICED had been planning to develop its unit at the NBMCH since 2006. 

In 2011, a four-member ICMR-NICED team had visited the NBMCH and requested the then North Bengal development minister. Mr Deb, to allot land on the NBMCH premises to set up its field unit. 

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had directed him to arrange for the same. It had then sought a 15 cottah of land for setting up of its second campus. The area had been earmarked near the mortuary at the NBMCH, but the mutation of the land had been pending and there was no boundary wall of the NBMCH campus then. 

Sources at the NBMCH said the ICMR-NICED had again approached the NBMCH last year to set up its unit on a covered built-up area on a 1600 square feet area there. 

Dengue surveillance 

The health department has decided to keep special surveillance on the vector control management for at least 15 more days. "The special measures will be adopted to keep surveillance, and monitor the situation for at least 15 more days to check the dengue cases. We are hopeful that more intensive anti-vector activities will help control the situation," sources said. 

The Siliguri Municipal Corporation has recorded 3655 cases till 29 October since January.