ICU in Malda hospital suffers from neglect

MALDA. (India) Dec. 4. — Communist Party of India (Marxist) leader and the English Bazaar Member of Lagislative Assembly , Mr Samar Roy, today criticised the alleged reluctance of the health department to inaugurate intensive care unit in Malda district hospital.

“It is unfortunate that the intensive care unit, completed almost a year ago, is yet to begin functioning,” Mr Roy said in presence of Mr Sailen Sarkar, the state minister for food processing industries and horticulture.

Mr Roy was addressing the re-inauguration programme of a health post under the Indian Population Project VIII at Buraburitala today.

It may be recalled that a few years ago, the urban development and municipal affairs minister, Mr Asok Bhattacharya, had inaugurated the health post when the local residents led by the CPI-M workers boycotted the programme at this red bastion in ward no 24 because the name of the CPI-M councilor was not printed in the invitation card during the tenure of the Trinamul-BJP led civic board.

Not only that the then civic board had tried hard to run the health post but the body was not in position to use the three storied building owing to the objection of the locals.

They had claimed that the night guard appointed by the board was reportedly antisocial.

The MLA, Mr Roy, admitted the social-political issues related to this health post and pointed out that the district authorities had also proposed an extension programme of the district hospital where additional 200-bed capacity would be extended up to 700 beds and it is under the consideration of the state health authorities.

He also urged the district chief medical officer of health to expedite the proposed cancer therapy unit in the Malda district hospital as soon as possible.

The CMOH, Dr Gopal Sarkar said that the heath authorities had asked them to submit the present status report and its requirement of staffs and specialist doctors for the up gradation of the district hospital considering future plan to build a medical college and hospital in the district headquarter.

Addressing today’s programme, Dr Sarkar assured that the proposed projects would be implemented in near future.

On the issue of intensive care unit, speaking to this correspondent, Dr Gopal Sarkar said: “What can I do? I had finalised the date (5 March 2004) for inauguration of the intensive care unit. Principal secretary was scheduled to come here for this occasion. Incidentally the programme was cancelled”.

The minister, Mr Sailen Sarkar, inaugurated the health post and urged the officials to run the unit with out door facilities for thousands of local people living in slum areas here. — SNS