As hundreds of children fall ill in a viral outbreak in north Bengal, three more children suffering from acute respiratory infection (ARI) and severe pneumonia died in the North Bengal Medical College and Hospital (NBMCH)
in Siliguri today, sources said.
Meanwhile, officials said that 14 more beds will be added to the paediatric ward as part of the infrastructure development there. NBMCH sources said a one-month and 15 days old baby girl from Hatghisa, Naxalbari, near Siliguri, had been suffering from ARI with sepsis. She also had a preterm birth, and was admitted in the hospital on 23 September.
A nine-month-old baby from Birpara in Alipurduar district, who had been admitted in the NBMCH yesterday, had been suffering from severe pneumonia and low birth weight, the sources said.
Another child of Malbazaar in Jalpaiguri was suffering from severe pneumonia and chronic respiratory disease and he died today. He had been admitted yesterday, the sources said.
Meanwhile, NBMCH principal Prof Indrajit Saha held a review meeting with the superintendent, Dr Sanjay Mallik, and doctors of the paediatric ward. The dean of student affairs, Dr Sandip Sengupta, the nursing staff, and medical technologists were among those present in the meeting.
The meeting focused on more infrastructure development of the ward, given the present situation, it is learnt. “The discussions centred on how to further strengthen the infrastructure. Fourteen more beds with oxygen support will be set up in the ward. It will help cater to more children,” Dr Sengupta said.
The existing bed strength in the ward is 90. There are 31 beds in the neonatal intensive care unit, paediatric intensive care unit and sick newborn care unit, and 39 more will be augmented, it is learnt.