The North Bengal Medical College & Hospital (NBMCH) is set to enhance its healthcare services with an inpatient urology ward.

The new 30-bed ward, operational from the first week of April at the super-speciality block of the medical college, will provide specialised care with 15 beds each for male and female patients, said sources.

NBMCH, located in Susrutanagar on the outskirts of Siliguri, is the largest and oldest state-run referral hospital in north Bengal.

Biswajit Dutta, the head of the urology department, said the new ward will enhance patient care and streamline treatment procedures. “Until now, urology patients were admitted to the general surgery ward. The new unit will ensure better monitoring, along with specialised care. It will have adequate beds, with separate sections for male and female patients,” he said.

At NBMCH, the super-specialty block has been built under the Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana (PMSSY) with an estimated cost of ₹150 crore. It houses several specialised departments.

“Alongside urology, the block features departments like cardiology, nephrology, neurosurgery, plastic surgery, burn unit, and pediatric surgery. Additionally, a coronary care unit (CCU) under the cardiology department has been operational since January,” said a source.

A senior doctor at NBMCH said the urology ward is expected to reduce the burden on other departments while ensuring quicker and more efficient treatment. “With the availability of specialised care, patients suffering from kidney stones, prostate issues, and other urological conditions, can now receive comprehensive treatment,” the source said.

Sanjay Mallick, the medical superintendent-cum-vice-principal of NBMCH, said efforts are underway to open other departments in phases. “The upcoming launch of the urology unit is a step in that direction,” he said.

A source said that the absence of critical facilities, like a catheterisation lab for the cardiology unit, has delayed the establishment of in-patient departments. The cath lab, medical experts said, is for conducting tests on the heart, including tests on the flow of blood through arteries and veins, through a minimally invasive procedure.

Mallick said they have taken the initiative to set up a portable cardiac catheterisation lab or cath lab.

“This cath lab will help doctors and technicians at the cardiology department to provide more comprehensive cardiac care to patients,” he said.

“In NBMCH, we will soon start providing an advanced modern pacemaker, the Cardiac Resynchronisation Therapy Pacemaker or CRTP, to patients who need it,” Mallick added.