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Darjeeling, Dec. 4: The state government has decided to pump in more than Rs 2 crore for the upgrade and infrastructure development of the Darjeeling district hospital, which if smoothly completed, could change the face of the health care system in the hills.
Of the amount, Rs 90 lakh has already been sanctioned for an intensive therapy unit (ITU).
The funds flow comes at a time the Trinamul government has been trying to woo the hills, where the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha sometimes raises the bogey of Gorkhaland to keep the state on its toes even after signing an agreement for an autonomous set-up.
North Bengal development minister Gautam Deb today said: “The state government has already sanctioned Rs 90 lakh for a 30-bed ITU.”
The ITU will have ventilators and monitors to check the heart beat of critical patients. The funds have been released only for the three-storied ITU building and more cash is expected, once the construction work is over.
Deb said he would sanction an additional Rs 75 lakh for the overall maintenance of the hospital and to set up a rain harvesting system on its premises. “The funds will come from the North Bengal Development Council,” said Deb.
The hospital will also get a new ambulance. The minister said Rs 42 lakh would be used from the DGHC coffer to bring in more equipment.
The CMOH said a Rs 16-lakh colour doppler — a higher version of the ultrasonography — was expected to reach the hospital soon. Efforts are being made to bring in a CT scan machine too.
“The state government will also sanction Rs 15 lakh for the construction of the CT scan unit,” said Deb.
The chief medical officer of health of Darjeeling, Subir Bhowmick, said the number of beds at the hospital would be increased from 308 to 500. “This addition of beds will be taken up in a phased manner,” said Bhowmick.
The hospital had also received Rs 7 lakh for the upgrade of its blood bank.
-TT
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