20-bedded ICU to be setup in Hailakandi soon; equipment shipped

The government has finally recognised the long-felt need in Hailakandi district. A 20-bedded Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at the SK Roy Civil Hospital is in the making.

The Superintendent of the civil hospital, Dr.Sudip Kumar Chakrabarty informed about the 20-bedded ICU. Dr.Chakrabarty said though there are space constraints due to the setting up of the COVID-19 designated isolation ward, the ICU facility will be set up somewhere between the COVID and non-COVID wards.

He said that the National Health Mission, Assam has sent the ventilators and other apparatus on Saturday for setting up the much-needed ICU. The Superintendent said health functionaries, including nurses would be trained up to man the ICU round the clock.

Dr. Chakrabarty thanked the Minister for Health and Family Welfare, Dr.Himanta Biswa Sarma for making the ICU possible within a short span of time.

The health authorities in Hailakandi revealed that the ICU facility would enable the treatment of critical and serious patients as such cases are referred to the Silchar Medical College and Hospital (SMC&H), about 46 km away from the district headquarters.

Moreover, they pointed out at a time of the COVID-19 pandemic situation, the ICU would be highly beneficial to the COVID afflicted patients as SMC&H is hard-pressed to accommodate more patients in view of a spike in corona positive cases in the Barak Valley, especially Cachar district.

The government-run district hospital, named after former MLA Santosh Kumar Roy in Hailakandi town, was established way back in 1992.