The West Bengal Government has undertaken some major projects in the healthcare sector – development and modernisation of medical infrastructure, and starting of new nursing schools.

The measures were recently announced by the Minister of State for Health & Family Welfare. The medical infrastructure relates to three medical college hospitals – Bankura Sammilani Medical College and Hospital, Malda Medical College and Hospital, and North Bengal Medical College and Hospital. A total of 704 beds would be added – 249 at Bankura, 201 at Malda and 254 at North Bengal.
The number of operation tables would also be increased. The infrastructure of certain departments would be improved while some would be modernised, adding new services. Along with these, 1.453 posts would be created.

At Bankura Sammilani, neurosurgery, plastic surgery, nephrology, dialysis, paediatric surgery, cardiothoracic and vascular surgery (CTVS), and a few other services would be started, while the coronary care unit (CCU), neuromedicine unit and a few others would be modernised.

At Malda Medical, neurosurgery, plastic surgery, surgical CCU and some other facilities would be introduced, while orthopaedic surgery, general medicine and a few others would be fully modernised. At North Bengal Medical, paediatric surgery, neurosurgery and plastic surgery departments would be opened, while the cardiology, nephrology, urology and neuromedicine units would be modernised.

Regarding nursing training, 27 more general nursing and midwifery (GNM) schools would be opened. Currently, there are 89. For the new schools, 891 teaching and administrative posts would be created. The nursing schools would be opened in Siliguri, Jalpaiguri, Dinhata, Raiganj, Karandighi, Gangarampur, Chanchal, Domkol, Kandi, Kalyani, Bangaon, Sonarpur, Arambagh, Bolpur, Kalna, Contai, Asansol, Durgapur, Egra, Haldia, Salboni and other places.