For the past five days, Shantamma, wife of an agricultural labourer, has been camping at the Vijayapura district government hospital, as her seven-day-old infant, who was suffering from breathing problems, has been admitted to the newly renovated Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) there.
The anxious mother from Inagi village of Basavanabagewadi taluk is now able to breathe a sigh of relief, as her baby’s treatment is entirely free. With the facilities at the new NICU on par with those in private hospitals, Shantamma noted that she and her husband, who earn around Rs. 300 a day, would not have been able to afford such a treatment at a private hospital.
The renovated NICU unit is arguably one of the best among any district government hospital in the State and has all hi-tech facilities to treat new-born babies. The treatment is free for all patients, irrespective of the economic status of the parents.
“People of any economic background can admit their children here for free treatment. The NICU also has ‘step down’ room for recovering patients, besides a feeding room,” said R.M. Sajjan, District Surgeon.
He said that the NICU had 10 open care warmers and two incubators. Ten more such equipment would be installed shortly.
Dr. Sajjan said that while the hospital spent Rs. 40 lakh on upgrading the unit, the NTPC thermal plant at Kudgi donated Rs. 1.5 crore for improvement of the facilities.
He said that the hospital was in a process of setting up a laboratory inside the unit.
