A 50-bed safe home for treatment of Covid-19 patients was opened in Mirik, 50km from here, on Thursday at the local college building.

Sources said the first of its kind facility in the hill town will be jointly operated by the sub-divisional administration, the health department and the local civic body.

“Earlier, residents of Mirik town and nearby areas had to rush to the North Bengal Medical College & Hospital for Covid treatment. The new facility will provide preliminary treatment to them ,” an official of the health department said.

A source said there were altogether 30 beds available at the block primary hospital in Mirik. So far, the hospital had only two isolation beds for suspected Covid patients and no other arrangement was available for them in the hill town.

“The new healthcare infrastructure here will have a total of 50 beds, 25 each for male and female patients. Out of these, six beds will get oxygen support. Apart from that there will be four oxygen concentrators which would be provided to patients who need such support at home. Also, two doctors along with health workers will be present at the facility to monitor the condition of the patients and provide round the clock service to the patients,” Tashi Lama, the block medical officer (Health) of Mirik, said.

At present, there are 345 active Covid cases in Mirik. Majority of them are in home isolation.

As per reports of the Darjeeling district administration, a total of 340 cases were detected across the district on June 2, and 40 of them were from Mirik.

Meanwhile in Siliguri, an upgraded 20-bed safe home — with full time doctors and nursing staff and each bed with complete oxygen support — was inaugurated at Tinbatti More in Siliguri on May 31.

The facility will provide treatment to the patients with mild symptoms of Covid-19.

Apart from the government aided health establishment, this is for the first time a sophisticated safe home or a field hospital will be completely managed by the couple of prominent NGOs of the city.

Indian Chamber of Commerce and Liver Foundation have extended its support for making the home operational here.

“It will have a total of 20 beds. Each of the beds will get round the clock oxygen support. There will be in-house doctors and nursing staff at the home, who will monitor the health condition of the patients on a regular basis,” Avijit Majumdar, the working president of Siliguri Welfare Organisation, which took the initiative in association with some other organisations.

Gautam Deb, the chairman of the BoA of the Siliguri Municipal Corporation, inaugurated the facility located under Ward 32 of the civic body.

“When people are struggling to get a bed for the treatment of Covid-19, such upgraded home with all the necessary facilities under the single roof under the round the clock observation of doctors and nursing staffs with free medicine, oxygen supports and food in completely free of cost will definitely helpful for the common people,” Deb said.