A high dependency unit (HDU) for paediatric treatment was inaugurated at Ramakrishna Sarada Mission Matri Bhavan on Tuesday.
The 18-bed unit includes two isolation beds and would cater to children up to 15 years of age, said an official of the hospital.
The new unit would help the hospital to serve children with various illnesses that they were unable to until now because of lack of infrastructure, the hospital said.
The 100-bed hospital under the auspices of the Ramakrishna Sarada Mission, Dakshineswar, has been rendering services for the past 70 years to women and children.
The new unit will help treat critically ill children.
“Over the years the hospital has rendered exceptional service at highly subsidised rates. When we approached them they said they have a vacant place and it is a need of the hour to have such a unit,” said Sujata Pyne, the president of Rotary Club of Calcutta. The club supported the hospital with equipment worth approximately Rs 20 lakh.
The assistant secretary of the hospital, Pravrajika Alokaprana, said: “There are three categories — one where patients pay basic charges, second who have a small income are given 50 per cent concession and the third group, who are very poor and are given further concessions.”
The pandemic has been tough on everybody, including the hospital. “We are struggling to raise funds for poor patients and our philosophy is to serve,” Pravrajika Alokaprana said.