Patients with renal problems in Alipurduar town and surroundings who need dialysis regularly are facing inconveniences as three of five dialysis machines at the district hospital have been defunct for over a month.

Every day, 60 to 70 patients visit the hospital where dialysis is provided free of cost. It takes around three hours to conduct the dialysis of a patient.

“As most of the machines have stopped working, those working at the unit are doing dialysis of a patient for two hours to cover more patients. Even then, all those visiting the dialysis unit at the hospital every day are not getting their dialysis done,” said a senior doctor at the hospital.

In Alipurduar, there is no private clinic where dialysis service is available.

“These days, I am taking my father to Cooch Behar (which is around 25km away). I have to pay the transport cost as well as a charge of ₹5,000 to a private clinic to get his dialysis done. We don’t know how long we would be able to bear the expenditure and hope the machines are repaired at the earliest,” said a resident of the town.

The unit, sources said, was opened in 2018 with five machines.

Authorities at the district hospital, when mentioned about the issue, said they had no idea when the machines would be operational.

“Engineers from Cooch Behar are working on the machines but we cannot say when those can be used for dialysis again. We understand the situation but nothing is in our lands. Our higher authorities are also aware of it,” said Paritosh Mandal, the hospital superintendent.

Suman Kanjilal, the Alipurduar MLA and chairman of the Rogi Kalyan Samiti of the hospital, said he would take it up with the health department.

“I am in Calcutta to attend the budget session in the Assembly. The matter has come to my notice and I will speak with senior officials of the state health department. If needed, I will also request the chief minister for her intervention,” the MLA said over the phone.