West Bengal has so far recorded 20 COVID-19 deaths, with Health Department sources saying more than 70 frontline health workers have tested positive. (Express Photo by Partha Paul)
As the man in charge of West Bengal’s Central Medical Store, Dr Biplab Kanti Dasgupta led the distribution of medical supplies for COVID-19 to hospitals and health centres across the state — from Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs) to masks and hand gloves. On Sunday, nine days after he tested positive, the 58-year-old Assistant Director of Health Services became the first frontline health personnel in West Bengal to die of the virus.
Dasgupta, who was admitted to a private hospital in Salt Lake, tested positive on April 17. Diabetic and hypertensive, his condition deteriorated soon after and he was put on ventilator support.
After he tested positive, his family and primary contacts, including 17 more staff of the Health Department and another ADHS, were put in quarantine and their swab samples sent for testing. So far, his wife and family physician have tested positive and are in the same hospital.
Dasgupta, who graduated from NRS Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata, did his Master’s in Hygiene and Public Health from the All India Institute of Hygiene and Public Health.
Dasgupta, an officer of the West Bengal Health Services, has been Superintendent at Kanthi Subdivisional Hospital in East Midnapore and later District Leprosy Officer in Murshidabad. He also headed the planning and development of the state health services before leading charge of the Central Medical Store.
His friends say that while he held senior, administrative positions, he never gave up medical practice. Dr Samudra Sengupta, his friend and junior in the health services, said, “Since we are in administrative service, we have no permission for clinical practice. But Biplab da would always say, ‘Daktari ta chharis na… Aren’t we basically doctors? We are born to treat people. That is how we will always be known as. So Biplab da also never give up practice. He used to treat people free of cost.”
On Sunday, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee tweeted, saying she was “deeply pained at the untimely demise” of Dasgupta. “We have lost Dr Biplab Kanti Dasgupta, Assistant Director, Health Services, West Bengal, in the early hours of today. He was Assistant Director of Health Services, Central Medical Stores. We are deeply pained with his untimely demise,” she said.
In another tweets, she said Dasgupta’s “sacrifice for the cause of ailing humanity will ever be in our hearts and will make our COVID warriors fight the deadly virus with even greater determination. My heartfelt condolence to Dr Dasgupta’s bereaved family members and colleagues.”
While condoling the death, the West Bengal Doctors’ Forum called for more testing of healthcare providers. “We once again reiterate that we need more intensive testing, specially of each and every healthcare provider, even asymptomatic ones, adequate and appropriate PPEs, strict adherence of ICMR guidelines, including death certification as per ICD 10 principles as laid down by the advisory bodies.”
The Association of Health Service Doctors demanded that the government officially declare Dasgupta as the first “COVID martyr” in the health sector. “The department must take measures to pay the highest state honour before cremation. It will act as an apparatus for motivational inspiration for the dedicated workers.”
West Bengal has so far recorded 20 COVID-19 deaths, with Health Department sources saying more than 70 frontline health workers have tested positive.