The neonatology unit of the SSKM Hospital here has recently been accredited as a Level-2 Special Care Neonatal Unit by the National Neonatology Forum, a state government source told Pharmabiz.com.
Till in the very recent past, none of the government or non-government institutions had level-2 care (according to the norms of National Neonatology Forum) and level-3 is still a dream.
This special care unit consists of 6-bedded Neonatal Intensive Care Unit and 10 bedded "high dependency unit". Within 2 years, the neonatal mortality among high risk pregnancies came down to 40 per 1000 to 15 per 1000 live birth at S.S.K.M.(data among high risk pregnancies).
This achievement has been possible because the health administrators at all levels, the teachers, doctors, sisters and the group D staffs worked with a missionary zeal to transform this unit. They had even no provision for 24-hr surveillance of sick neonates by the doctors.
Dr Arun Kumar Singh, in charge of this department, said that their work for NICU Level 3 has already been started but after a successful completion of one year NICU Level 2 they will be eligible for an accredited NICU Level 3
The infrastructure at the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit includes-
# Neonatal ventilators
# Blood Gas Analyzer (within NICU)
# Pulse Oxymeters with NIBP and Iwasine Blood Pressure.
# Syringe and Infusion Pumps
# Radiant Warmers
# E.C.G. with Neonatal Defibrillator
# Laminar flow room for Total Parental Nutrition
# Side lab with Micro-Biochemistry analyzer
# E.E.G. (Digital with NICU)
# Echocardiography and Doppler + Ultrasonogram for Neonates (kept within NICU to be used only for new born.)
& # Solar water heating pipes to maintain the temperature
The current activities of the special care neonatal unit-
· Providing State Of Art Equipments and Facilities for PRETERM, Sick newborns requiring artificial ventilation, Total Parental Nutrition and Exchange Transfusion.
· Facilities for Blood Gas analysis , Pulse Oxymetry, Syringe pumps, Radiant warmers, ECG with Defibrillator, EEG , Echocardiography, Colour Doppler and side Lab.
· Training of doctors from Project. 60 doctors trained in last 8 months from various districts.
· Training of Nurse Practitioner course
· Training of post graduate doctors and
· Maintain a High Risk Neonate followup clinic for Neological Evaluation till 2 years of age.
This modern, sophisticated and well equipped care unit will provide the treatment at a very low cost. They are planning and working more for further upgradation to deal with more critical cases.