A 10-bed dialysis unit was opened in the Alipurduar district hospital on Tuesday for renal patients in and around the district.
In 2018, a five-bed unit was opened at the state-run hospital. However, for the past six months, only one of the five dialysis machines was functional.
“Because of such a situation, hundreds of patients who need dialysis were facing problems. They had to travel to Falakata or Cooch Behar to get their dialysis done,” said Suman Kanjilal, the Alipurduar MLA and the chairman of the Rogi Kalyan Samiti of the hospital.
“As the matter came to my notice, I took it up with chief minister Mamata Banerjee and officials of the state health department. The state extended help. Today (Tuesday), a new unit was opened at the hospital,” the MLA said.
Paritosh Mandal, the superintendent of the hospital, said the new unit with 10 beds had an equal number of machines.
“We believe at least 40 patients can get free dialysis at this unit every day,” he said.
A senior doctor at the hospital said this new unit would come as a big relief for renal patients. In the existing unit, as four of the five older machines were not running, only three or four patients could get their dialysis done at the hospital on a given day.
Patients turn up at the hospital for dialysis every day here as the service is provided free of cost. “In private clinics of Cooch Behar and Falakata, a person has to pay around ₹5,000 to get dialysis done. Those from economically weaker sections can’t afford it. The new unit will definitely help them,” the senior doctor added.