The National Institute of Cholera and Enteric Diseases (NICED) based in Calcutta, which functions under the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), will open a rural health research unit in North Bengal Medical College and Hospital (NBMCH) here. Located at Sushrutanagar on the outskirts of Siliguri, NBMCH is the oldest and largest state-run referral hospital in this region.

“The state government had approached the ICMR a number of times to set up a unit of the NICED in NBMCH. It is good that the decision has been finally made. It will largely benefit people of this region,” said Sushanta Roy, the officer on special duty of the state health department in north Bengal.

A five-member team of NICED visited NBMCH for a meeting on Friday, he said.

“NBMCH will provide two floors of a building, between the emergency and the X-ray unit, to NICED for the unit,” added Roy.

Sources said that initially there is a plan to recruit 30-odd people for the unit, including scientists. “Some equipment also needs to be bought. The plan is to finish all this in the next three months and start the unit,” said a source.

Sandeep Mukhopadhyay, the nodal officer of NICED, said they are satisfied with the building space at NBMCH.

“Around Rs 4 crore will be spent on the infrastructure. For the unit, an MoU will be signed between NBMCH and ICMR,” he said.

Senior doctors said the unit will play an important role in case of an outbreak of unknown disease in this region.

\“Also, detection of acute encephalitis syndrome, alcoholic liver diseases, skin diseases found in tea gardens, diaorrhea and other localised diseases can be done faster. It will help in early intervention and treatment,” said a doctor.