Medical team from Kolkaata visits North Bengal hospitals
Darjeeling: A five-member medical team arrived in North Bengal on Friday to take stock of the situation involving children getting affected by fever, cough and respiratory diseases.
After a visit to the North Bengal Medical College and Hospital, Siliguri Sub-Divisional Hospital and Jalpaiguri District Hospital, the team opined that there is no need to panic as every year during this time, such outbreaks take place. Friday also witnessed the death of two more children at Malda Medical College and Hospital increasing the total number of deaths in the hospital to five.
The 5-member team led by microbiologist Dr Raja Roy includes Dr Dipta Kanti Mukherjee of community medicine; Dr Mihir Sarkar, Associate Professor, Paediatrics along with Dr Pallav Bhattacharjee and Dr Bikash Mandal, held a meeting with the health officials at the NBMCH.
"On Thursday night, there were 62 patients in the paediatric ward at the NBMCH and 54 at the Siliguri Sub-Divisional Hospital. Out of the 62, there were nine fever cases and four fever cases out of the 54 in the second hospital. The numbers show that the situation has not gone out of hand and is not unnatural. During this time of the year, there are similar outbreaks every year," stated Dr Shishanta Roy, OSD (Public Health), in-charge of North Bengal.
Dr Roy stated that he has spoken to the CMOHs of all the North Bengal districts. "We have advised augmentation of beds, preparedness and have asked parents to seek medical health as soon as their children are sick," added Dr Roy.
He stated that the Viral Research and Diagnostic Laboratory at NBMCH has been testing six-seven samples and all are negative.
As many as 50 beds will be added to the present 120 at the paediatric ward at NBMCH. The PWD has also been asked to hand over the Paediatric Intensive Care Unit at the NBMCH at the earliest. The new unit was scheduled to be handed over to the hospital by July. "We are constantly keeping in touch with the Director of Health also," added Dr Roy.
"We have seen the infrastructure and the available facilities. We are satisfied. With coordinated efforts, we can tide over this situation," added Dr Raja Roy, leader of the team.
Meanwhile, two children have died at the Malda Medical College and Hospital. While one was a resident of Rajmahal, Jharkhand, the other child was from Manikchak, Malda.
"We are sending swab samples of the infected to School of Tropical Medicine, Kolkata," stated Dr Parthapratim Mukherjee, principal, Malda Medical College.
