Siliguri Sub-divisional Hospital gets Covid ward with 40 beds

DARJEELING: A Covid-19 ward has come up at Siliguri Sub-divisional Hospital. Out of 40 beds, 20 will be made operational immediately. The remaining 20 will become operational in the next few days. An advanced COVID-19 ward is also being set up with 5 ventilators and BiPAP support.

Gautam Deb, chairman, Board of Administrators, Siliguri Municipal Corporation held a meeting with the administration, police, health officials, NGOs and other organisations to review the Covid situation.

"We spoke to manufacturers of oxygen cylinders and requested them to beef up production. We are buying 30 cylinders from them. We will create an oxygen parlour with these cylinders. Any person requiring oxygen can use these cylinders by furnishing a doctor's prescription," said an official.

Meanwhile, a patient who was undergoing treatment at the Darjeeling District Hospital and had earlier tested Covid positive, escaped from the hospital.

"Kamal Gurung tested positive. He was admitted to the Covid centre at Batasia, Darjeeling. He is a resident of Okaitee tea estate, Mirik. He is an alcohol addict. There he showed withdrawal symptoms and was referred to the Darjeeling district hospital," stated Kishan Gurung, brother of the patient.

In Darjeeling hospital, he tested negative in a rapid antigen test.

"He had no symptoms and had tested negative, hence he was admitted to the general ward and was being treated for alcohol withdrawal.

"Yesterday, he had stated that he was going to the toilet and ran away. We have informed the police and have issued a stricture to the security guards to check all identity cards of people entering and leaving the wards.

"We have an acute shortage of security personnel at the Hospital and have informed about the same to the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration," stated Dr. Subasish Chanda, Superintendent, Darjeeling District Hospital.