One for the hills

Darjeeling, April 6: The biggest community movement aimed at setting up a CT scan machine in the hills is finally set to bear fruit.

P.D. Bhutia, secretary, Sanjeevini CT Scan Project, said: “We have finally managed to get a building near Ava Art Gallery to set up the machine. We will start working on the interiors within a week, after which, the machine will be set up and the centre inaugurated.”

The project was launched on September 8, 2005 and since then though there had been commitments galore, the enthusiasm had slowly dwindled. But just when people had almost given up hope, the scheme is ready for take-off.

The Darjeeling Sanjeevini Medical Welfare Society, which has undertaken the project, will have to pay an annual lease amount of Rs 1.44 lakh for the building for 20 years.

The society has so far collected Rs 43 lakh from the hill residents, of which Rs 30 lakh have been given to Nexus Services (which will coordinate with Siemens to set up the machine). Another Rs 10 lakh will be paid to Nexus once the machine is set up. But that will still leave another Rs 50 lakh — it is a Rs 1-crore project — to be paid by the firm.

Eco-Medi Scanner — a sister concern of Nexus Services which has its office in Calcutta — will run the project so that the amount paid by the firm from its pocket is adjusted over the next 20 years.

“We had initially thought of setting up the project at Jorebungalow but the engineers from Siemens were against the idea as the place was found to be very cold,” said Bhutia.

The doctor also added that the decision to change the site— Jorebungalow is 11 km from the heart of the town— was taken considering the difficulty it would pose to patients who will have to juggle between the doctors in town and the centre.

“The distance to Ava Art Gallery is much less and this will not inconvenience the common man. Moreover, even a market survey confirmed that this place was better suited,” said Bhutia.

Every donor, irrespective of the amount given by him for the project, will be given a 15 per cent discount on scan charges. Others will have to shell out Rs 2,000.

“A scan done in the hills means people will not have to incur the expenses of going down to Siliguri for it,” he added.

Eco-Medi Scanners will also rope in two radiologists and two technicians. Efforts will also be made to bring experts to the centre on a regular basis.

“We also have a tele-medicine centre at the Planter's Hospital (also known as Dooars and Darjeeling Medical Association) and expert opinion will easily be available to those wanting to avail of such facilities,” said Bhutia.