The West Bengal health department has deployed 14 senior officials to coordinate emergency medical responses during the Kali Puja holidays across Kolkata and the state from November 8 to 12, according to a report by the Times of India.
The department has prepared two duty rosters for the festival period. Four senior health officials will coordinate with all necessary emergency services from the Integrated Control Room at Swasthya Bhawan, the report said. Their role will be to help ensure that any health crisis is addressed promptly and efficiently.
A second group of 10 doctors, all involved in health administration, has been assigned to liaise with district headquarters and the Kolkata Municipal Corporation’s health department from Swasthya Bhawan. The coordination will cover health emergencies reported during the four-day holiday period.
The officials on duty have been instructed to remain particularly attentive following the Chorbagan stampede during Durga Puja. The health department’s arrangement places the state control room at the centre of communication between emergency services, district administrations and the civic health system.
The rosters are intended to maintain administrative coordination when large public gatherings and festival-related movement increase the need for rapid communication between hospitals, emergency services and local authorities. The report did not provide details of additional hospital beds, ambulance deployment or specific crowd-management measures.
The duty arrangement will remain in force from November 8 through November 12, with the designated officials coordinating responses from Swasthya Bhawan and maintaining liaison with district headquarters and the KMC health department.
