COVID-19 SURGE HITS HEALTHCARE SERVICES AT NORTH BENGAL MEDICAL COLLEGE AND HOSPITAL

SILIGURI: With many health care workers getting infected with COVID-19, the family members of the patients in North Bengal Medical College Hospital (NBMCH) on Wednesday claimed that the COVID situation has hit normal patient care services in the hospital.

According to the authorities of North Bengal Medical College and Hospital, there are around 70 nursing staff and 12 faculties including other medical students who were infected with the COVID-19. The relatives of the patients claimed that in view of the present COVID scenario, the scheduled surgeries have been postponed at NBMCH.

Sabir Alam, a family member of a patient admitted to the orthopaedic department said, “COVID infections among the NBMCH health workers has affected the services. My mother’s operation was postponed. We waited three and half hours in front of the operation theatre. They shouldn’t have done it.” According to him, the government should take alternative ways to carry on with the health service considering the present COVID-19 scenario.

Dr Sandip Sengupta, Dean, Students Affairs, NBMCH said, “There is rising COVID-19 cases for the last two weeks and it is increasing. Many were hit by the virus in our medical college.” Dr Sengupta informed that no surgeries are being cancelled and the OPD and emergency services are running.

Dr Sanjay Mallick, Medical College Superintendent and Vice Principle (MSVP) said that a good number of sergeants and anaesthetists were affected. “As some sergeants and anaesthetists were infected, we had to cancel some of the surgeries because of manpower shortage” He added that despite the shortcomings, the hospital is trying their best to give proper care to the patients.

As per hospital information, there are 40 departments functioning at the NBMCH with a workforce of hundreds of doctors, nurses, junior doctors and interns.