Kolkata: The slump in the number of Bangladesh patients continues across Kolkata hospitals even a month after a central Kolkata hotel fire claimed the lives of nine patients and their families travelling from the neighbouring country. Despite assistance from hospitals to find accommodation in other parts of the city, including areas off the EM Bypass, which are close to a cluster of hospitals, patient number has remained 30% to 40% below last month’s figures.A couple of hospitals, however, said they have started witnessing a turnaround. At Ruby General Hospital, patient number had dropped by around 40% immediately after the fire. Though authorities have taken up measures to help patients find accommodation, the numbers have dropped further. According to the chief general manager-operations of Ruby General Hospital, Subhashish Datta, there are four Bangladeshi patients, who have been admitted to the hospital currently.Datta said the patient tally at the OPD has been reducing from 40 per day till mid-Aug to around 20 now. “There seems to be a lack of confidence in patients as they believe that conditions are not yet favourable,” he added. BP Poddar Hospital had sent a team of officials to Bangladesh last week to interact with the patients. The hospital has witnessed numbers dropping by 50%. “From around 10 to 11 a day at the OPD, it is now five to six only,” said a representative of BP Poddar Hospital. He claimed the hospital was receiving enquiries from the neighbouring country but patients weren’t still confident enough to travel. “Lack of affordable accommodation is a reason for their reluctance,” he added.“Most of the patients and their family members preferred to stay in central Kolkata hotels, which are mostly shut now,” he added. The hospital has been helping patients find accommodation in south Kolkata. The move, however, hasn’t yet paid dividends.Over the past month, Desun Hospital received around 500 new patients from Bangladesh, which is nearly 15% lower than the usual number.“Despite a gradual rise in the number of Bangladeshi patients, the footfall still remains marginally below normal,” said Sajal Dutta, CMD of Desun Hospital. He, however, said the repeat patient footfall has remained steady. “Our international help desk continues to help patients find suitable accommodation within 2 km radius of the hospital,” added Dutta.Peerless Hospital has been an exception. Its CEO Sudipta Mitra claimed that the hospital had not seen any slide in the number of Bangladeshi patients despite the fire incident. “We have been receiving 60 to 70 OPD patients daily over the last few months. We have actively provided alternative accommodation to our patients in guest houses and hotels near the hospital off EM Bypass. The number of OPD patients from Bangladesh, however, used to be around 180 a day till 2024,” added Mitra. Patient flow from Bangladesh has been showing a consistent and encouraging recovery over the last six to nine months with ‘volumes improving steadily month on month’ at RN Tagore Narayana Hospital.“What is particularly encouraging is that, despite the unfortunate fire incident last month, the momentum has remained strong. In fact, OPD footfall from Bangladesh has grown by more than 6% over the previous month, reflecting continued patient confidence in our clinical care and services,” said R Venkatesh, group COO, Narayana Hospitals.At the hospital, around 250 patients from Bangladesh now visit the OPD every day. “The sustained month-on-month growth gives us confidence that the Bangladesh patient segment is steadily returning to its earlier momentum,” added Venkatesh.
