The patient welfare committee of Siliguri District Hospital has drawn up a plan to open a clinic at the hospital soon to provide services to those afflicted with post-Covid-19 complications.

Rudranath Bhattacharya, the chairperson of the committee, said they decided at a meeting on Friday to open the clinic to provide “prompt services” to all those who contracted the infection and were now suffering from various post-Covid complications.

“It will be an outdoor facility where patients can turn up and consult specialist doctors. The hospital superintendent has been asked to expedite the process of setting up the clinic,” Bhattacharya said.

Over 18,000 residents of Darjeeling district have contracted Covid, most from Siliguri and its surroundings, since the onset of the pandemic. Post-Covid complications may include prolonged weakness, cardiopulmonary complications, loss of smell, among others.

At the meeting, a number of other issues were discussed in detail, said sources.

“At times, patients requiring tests for diagnosis, including biopsy and others, are asked to visit private labs particularly during emergencies. It was decided that this practice should stop as it is not a healthy sign in a government-run health establishment,” said a source.

Some doctors at the hospital have said that the pathology department of North Bengal Medical College and Hospital did not receive samples sent after 2pm.

“Authorities should look into it because at the time of surgery or other emergency, tests need to be done immediately. The hospital needs more technicians and at least one pathologist at the component separation unit of the blood bank,” a doctor said.

Issues such as renovation of the superintendent’s office, postnatal ward and nursing hostel were also taken up at the committee meeting, sources said.