Dakshin Dinajpur is an agriculture-driven district in northern West Bengal, lying along the Bangladesh border. The district hospital at the headquarters town of Balurghat is the main medical centre for the region. The sub-divisional hospital at Gangarampur and the state general hospital at Buniadpur bring care closer to people in other parts of the district, while primary health centres and sub-centres serve the border villages. For complex conditions, patients are referred to advanced hospitals in Malda or Siliguri.
Major Hospitals and Medical Centres
| Hospital | Type | Location | Phone |
|---|---|---|---|
| Balurghat District Hospital | District Hospital | Balurghat | 7076686320 |
| Gangarampur Sub-divisional Hospital | Sub-divisional | Gangarampur | 9434055746 |
| Buniadpur State General Hospital | State General | Buniadpur | — |
Balurghat District Hospital offers emergency, maternity, paediatric and surgical services. Gangarampur Sub-divisional Hospital is the largest hospital in the district’s south-east, while the Buniadpur hospital serves the Harirampur-Banshihari belt.
Emergency Numbers
- Police: 100
- Ambulance: 108
- Fire: 101
- KYC (Women and Child Helpline): 1078
The 108 ambulance service operates in every block of the district. The route from border villages to Balurghat is long, so arranging an ambulance early is wise in an emergency.
Health Services and Benefits
- Swasthya Sathi Card: Families in Dakshin Dinajpur also receive free treatment under the Swasthya Sathi scheme at government and empanelled private hospitals. Contact the block health office or a digital service centre for card corrections or renewal.
- Primary Health Centres: The Balurghat, Gangarampur, Kumarganj, Tapan, Harirampur-Ramchandrapur and Banshihari blocks have primary health centres and sub-centres offering free consultations, medicines and basic tests.
- Immunisation: Routine vaccination of children and mothers, vitamin A supplementation and anaemia-prevention programmes run at block and anganwadi level.
- Maternal and Child Health: The emphasis is on institutional delivery, antenatal check-ups and nutritional support, with help available for transporting mothers and newborns from remote villages.
- Disease Control: Regular surveys and free testing cover dengue, malaria and diarrhoea. Leprosy and TB elimination programmes are also active in border areas.
- Medical Camps: Eye, dental and general health camps are regularly organised in rural areas through government and NGO initiatives.
Health Tips
- Clear stagnant water during the monsoon and use mosquito nets.
- Avoid wading in floodwater and drink clean water — essential for preventing diarrhoea.
- Walk daily, drink enough water and eat green vegetables.
- After 40, check blood pressure and blood sugar at least twice a year.
- Save the emergency numbers on every family member’s phone.