Only emergency treatment at Siliguri's NBMCH

SILIGURI: With at least 10 healthcare workers (HCW), including an assistant professor of medicine department attached with North Bengal Medical College and Hospital (NBMCH) testing positive to Covid-19 and many others being put on quarantine, the hospital authority has decided to entertain only very critical patients for now. The health officials have also sent a circular to other hospitals across the district to restrict referral cases.
Sources said other HCWs, who had been identified as close contacts of the 10 workers, have been put on quarantine. The principal of (NBMCH) PK Deb, however, said about five HCWs have tested positive.
“At least 15 healthcare workers are in quarantine while around 5 health care workers, including doctors and nurses, have been tested positive,” said Deb.
A large number of health care workers have gone to quarantine facilities after some tested positive across several departments at NBMCH. Under such circumstances, NBMCH has decided to restrict only to emergency cases, said the principal.
A circular on Saturday signed by the medical superintendent and vice principal Kaushik Samajadar said: “In view of the grave situation, admission of patients to NBMCH, Darjeeling will be restricted to seriously ill/moribund, gasping cases only till further notice.”
Even as the hospital has an isolation facility for Covid-suspected patients, no positive patient are being treated in the hospital itself. Such patients are shifted to the Covid-designated hospital taken over by the government. But the Lab attached with the medical college is testing Covid samples.
“We have issued guidelines to hospital across the districts to refer emergency cases only,” said chief Pralay Acharya, medical officer of health, Darjeeling.
Meanwhile, Siliguri District Hospital (SDH) Medical Superintendent , Amitabh Mondal said the situation can be managed if there are no case from the block areas or else the SDH will have too much pressure.