Balurghat District Hospital: 18 new doctors to join within a week

BALURGHAT: In a significant move to strengthen public healthcare in South Dinajpur, 18 new doctors are set to join various departments of Balurghat District Hospital within the next seven days. The West Bengal Health department has issued directives requiring the appointed doctors to assume their duties promptly.

Currently, Balurghat District Hospital has sanctioned posts for 102 doctors but nearly 45 of these positions remain vacant. Notably, there are no specialist doctors in departments like Chest Medicine, Microbiology and Forensic Medicine, which has severely impacted patient care over the years. Hospital Superintendent Krishnendu Bikash Bag stated: “There was a long-standing shortage of doctors at our hospital. We informed the state health authorities and now 18 doctors are being assigned. This will significantly enhance the quality of medical services provided here.”

Among the incoming doctors are specialists in Chest Medicine, Microbiology, Forensic Medicine, Anesthesiology, Tropical Medicine, Emergency Medicine, Community Medicine, ENT, Psychiatry, Radiotherapy, Pathology and Ophthalmology. South Dinajpur district lacks robust private healthcare infrastructure, making the government hospital the primary lifeline for medical treatment. The absence of adequate doctors has led to frequent referrals of patients to other facilities and has strained outpatient services due to vacant duty officer posts. The news of new appointments has brought a wave of optimism among local residents. The initiative marks a hopeful turning point for healthcare services in the district, offering much-needed respite to both patients and overburdened medical staff.

Sunil Mukherjee, a resident of Balurghat, expressed relief, saying: “Only those who’ve suffered can understand how difficult it is without proper hospital care. We’re thankful the government has finally acted. We’re now eagerly waiting for the doctors to begin work.”