Darjeeling MP Raju Bista reached out to Darjeeling and Kalimpong District Administration, and also Darjeeling and Kalimpong CMOH with a request to decentralize testing and treatment facilities in the region. During his visit to various hospitals in different parts of the constituency, MP Bista interacted with doctors, nurses, other healthcare providers, and common people and realized that the first wave of the pandemic had remained confined to population concentrated areas. However, this time COVID cases have also spread to rural regions.
‘People have informed me that despite many people in the rural areas showing symptoms such as high fever, coughing, sneezing, they are fearful and reluctant to come to town for their tests. As such, the health infrastructure in our region is not at all geared towards addressing the increasing COVID cases. There is an acute shortage of doctors, nurses, and other healthcare workers. Hospitals are lacking in even basic testing facilities and other equipment. Also, there is a backlog of RT-PCR tests awaiting results at North Bengal Medical College and Hospital, which has resulted in more and more people in the rural areas succumbing to the disease.’, he said in a statement.
Given the critical situation, Darjeeling MP has requested the administration for decentralizing COVID testing and treatment facilities in the region on an urgent basis.
To ensure better coordination of COVID response, Raju Bista further suggested developing a standard framework for tests and treatment at the grassroots level and also a team of volunteers comprising of members from all political parties, NGOs, and Social organizations and can use the same team to upscale vaccination drives in villages.
“I am most hopeful that the District Administration and Health Officials will kindly take necessary steps to implement these suggestions at the earliest,” Bista added. He assured of full cooperation and support with regards to ensuring the safety and health of our people.