In a first for Alipurduar district hospital, air conditioners will soon be installed in the child ward and the neonatal care unit (NICU) to combat the severe heat children face.

The decision was made during a Rogi Kalyan Samity (RKS) meeting held at the hospital on Saturday. The RKS committee aims to ensure proper functioning and management of the hospital and to hold the administration accountable for providing accessible, high-quality healthcare services.

Currently, the NICU on the top floor of the five-story hospital building has 60 beds but lacks proper heat protection.

“As a result, newborn babies and their mothers, who are kept in the unit after delivery, suffer from the intense heat, sometimes leading to further health complications. To ensure the well-being of these patients, the authorities have decided to install air conditioners,” said a source in the hospital.

Similarly, the child ward on the second floor has 50 beds but remains overcrowded throughout the year.

“Children from across Alipurduar district, as well as lower Assam, come for treatment here. Given the high patient load and the extreme heat, AC units will also be installed in this ward,” the source added.

Although there are ceiling fans in both wards, they are insufficient to cool the rooms. Sources said the hospital plans to install eight air conditioners in each ward.

Suman Kanjilal, a TMC MLA from Alipurduar and chairman of the RKS, said: “Children in the child ward and neonatal care unit are already suffering due to the hot and humid weather. In the meeting, we decided to install AC machines to protect the patients from heatwaves. Moreover, proper cooling will help keep the wards free from germs. This is the first time such an initiative is being taken at the hospital.”

Kanjilal added that the chief medical officer of health (CMOH), Alipurduar, has been instructed to prepare a Detailed Project Report (DPR).

He added that efforts would be made to gradually equip the other wards in the hospital with air conditioners.