How does a government hospital look? For anybody’s imagination, it would be filthy, not properly maintained with improper attendance of doctors and nurses. Maybe, the government hospital at Sangareddy is no exception, barring the special care neo-natal unit (SCNU) located on the same premises. This is the most neatly maintained unit with excellent hygiene conditions and round the clock attention.
The SCNU was made ready with an investment of Rs.68 lakh under National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) to take care of the newborn babies, particularly with low weight, birth asphyxia and other problems. The unit was equipped with 21 radiant warmers, eight photo therapy units, six pulse oxymeters and two multi para meters. One expert doctor was available round the clock and four nurses worked in shifts.
A total of 1,118 cases were referred to this centre so far in the past 10 months after its establishment and all the cases were treated successfully by the timely intervention by the doctors and staff and referring the infants to better hospitals when it was required.
The highest number of cases in the category of neo-natal jaundice (NNJ - 325), birth asphyxia (253), sepsis (248) were reported followed by respiratory distress (86), intrauterine growth restriction – poor growth of baby while in mother’s womb -- (IUGR – 65), low birth weight (33), hypothermia (14), hypoglycemia (04) and meconium aspiration syndrome – a medical condition affecting newborn infants (MAS- 13). Malnutrition among mothers was stated to be one of the reasons for newborn babies being affected with low birth weight, IUGR and sepsis.
“We are taking care of infants with as low weight as 1.1 kg, added with other complications. The weight of every baby is monitored everyday and the feed will be decided based on their response to drugs and medication. We are happy that every child admitted here was saved,” Dr. G. Rahim, Head of the Department, Paediatrics, told The Hindu .
