KOLKATA: A child specialist at a state-run hospital in North Bengal’s South Dinajpur district donated blood to two children suffering from thalassemia after the blood bank at the hospital ran out of stock on Sunday. The incident comes at time when the tumult caused by the cease-work agitation by junior doctors across the state was hogging the headlines.
Nilanjan Mukherjee, a doctor at the Raiganj Super Speciality Hospital, donated A+ blood to a five-year-old boy and his two-year-old sister. Parents Mohammad Arju, a painting worker, and his wife Najima Khatun said they would never forget what the doctor did for them.
“I was on my routine rounds at the hospital and examined the two children. They were weak. I realised they needed fresh blood as soon as possible. I inquired and came to know that the hospital’s blood bank was out of stock. My blood group matched with the children so I decided to donate,’’ said Mukherjee.
Mukherjee visited the children on Monday and found them to be in a much better condition.
Reacting to the week-long agitation by junior doctors shutting down outdoor and emergency wings at most of the state-run hospitals, Mukherjee said he supported their demands. “But I will also add that the primary task of a doctor is to treat patients. Though I supported the junior doctors morally, I did not stop treating patients. People should also understand that doctors need a healthy environment to work,’’ he said.
The children’s parents were from from Bihar’s Katihar district. “I’m a daily wage earner and cannot afford my children’s treatment at private healthcare units. My son and daughter were admitted four days ago as they became weak. They needed blood transfusion immediately. We could not take them to another hospital because of the strike,’’ said Arju.