Calcutta, May 23: Escorts Heart Institute of Delhi will conduct a two-day health check-up camp in the city.

A 17-member team from Escorts is expected to hold the camp from June 5 at a Gorachand Road facility beside Calcutta National Medical College and Hospital.

“Extensive health check-up tests cost Calcuttans several thousand rupees here, but the Escorts team will do everything free,” said S. Ghosh, director of Jeevan Jyoti Healthcare Services, agents for Escorts who will be organising the camp.

Patients who need surgery will get to meet the Escorts doctors for further consultation. “At this point we cannot disclose the place where the second round of consultations will take place. All we can say is that the doctors who are very difficult to get through for appointment will now be easily available through us,” Ghosh said.

Escorts is making a soft entry at a time when most private hospitals in the city are busy setting up liaison offices in neighbouring countries, especially Bangladesh. While Calcuttans still mostly opt for Vellore, Mumbai or Delhi for specialised care, more and more Bangladeshis are choosing Calcutta as their treatment destination.

The latest data available with the health department shows that Calcutta needs 10 times the infrastructure it has at the moment to meet the demand.

Rajeev Mishra, project officer for Escorts, said on phone from Delhi that many such visits would follow.

“This is just a warm-up exercise and this should not be seen as a pure business venture. Our responsibility is also to make people aware of lifestyle modifications, specially among Calcuttans, who, like people from other states, make a beeline for Escorts regularly,” he added.

Altogether nine doctors will see patients simultaneously for 12 hours each on June 5 and 6, with an hour’s lunch break in between.

“The patients will also be given the option of travelling to Delhi for further treatment at heavy discounts,” said Ghosh, who along with his partner, B. Roy, has been working overtime to get the act right.

“We believe that frequent interaction between the doctors and patients will help them develop an understanding,” Mishra added.