Residents of Phuentsholing will no longer have to experience the hassle of waiting in queues at the hospital, or travel across to border towns to avail themselves of certain medical facilities. The opening of the first private diagnostics centre in town has made alternatives available.
The proprietor of the Centre, Lobsang Tshering, says the Centre hopes to provide better and cost-effective diagnostic facilities. “People have to travel all the way to Siliguri, which is additional expenditure for them. And from what I have seen personally in the clinic operating in the nearby borders towns like Hashimara, Alipurduar and Cooch Bihar, the facilities are not satisfactory,” he added.
The Centre has diagnostic facilities like ultrasound, X-ray and Laboratory tests run by two trained technicians. The proprietor says the fee for such facilities is yet to be decided, but will be affordable.
Phuentsholing residents say they will be able gain from this new development.
“To visit a government hospital, we have wait for long hours which would be inconvenient for those people who are very busy. So it will be better for them to come here and avail themselves of the services in a shorter period of time,” said one of the residents.
Another resident, Sangay Zam, says they would usually travel to Siliguri or Alipur and in Jaigaon to get medical treatment. “It’s the first kind of screening centre in Phuentsholing and it is going to benefit a lot of people here,” she said.
About Nu. 7.6 million was spent setting up the Centre.
