Around 50 residents of Pradhannagar in Siliguri held a protest outside the Medica North Bengal Clinic on Friday, saying treatment of suspected Covid-19 patients at the private nursing home in the “densely populated area” would trigger chances of the infection among local people.

On Thursday, Abhijit Chowdhury, the doctor who had been sent here from Calcutta by the state government, had announced that suspected or positive coronavirus patients would not be treated at the North Bengal Medical College and Hospital.

The suspected patients would be sent to Medica and their swab samples would be taken to the NBMCH for tests. Anybody tested positive will be shifted to Dr Chhang’s Super Specialty Hospital, which is on the outskirts of Siliguri.

Chowdhury said those tested negative would be treated at the NBMCH and other facilities.

The decision to treat suspected Covid patients at Medica has triggered a protest by a section of residents of Pradhannagar.

“Pradhannagar is a densely populated area and the nursing home is located in the middle of residential complexes. We apprehend that if the suspected Covid-19 patients are kept here, there is always a risk of infection,” said Arijit Das, a local resident.

Bijoy Dhar, the secretary of Pradhannagar Byabsayee Samiti, said the residents had already submitted a memorandum to the Siliguri subdivisional officer on the issue.

“This is a crowded area and we want the state government to identify some other nursing home, like it found one for corona positive patients on the outskirts of Siliguri (Dr Chhang’s hospital). This would reduce the risk of infection,” said Dhar.

The protesters have pointed out that around half of the employees at Medica are local residents. “If any of them gets affected, the infection can spread further,” said a resident.

A team of officials from the Darjeeling district health department, along with Abhijit Chowdhury, visited Medica on Friday and checked arrangements. Chowdhury said there was no need for the residents to panic.

“I have been sent by the state and I would inform the authorities concerned about the protests. We want to make it clear that the government will not impose any decision on people. Simultaneously, they should cooperate with us as some of them have been reacting out of panic,” said Chowdhury.

He said all Covid patients, including a child, being treated at Medica were in a stable condition.