Neonatology

It is our determined resolve to make up for all the lost time, and develop a state of the art modern neonatal care facility, and consecrate it to the service of the people of this region. No longer should an infant requiring neonatal intensive care or ventilator support have to be transported by ill equipped modes to distant medical centers. Further, the cost of neonatal intensive care should be affordable to the common man.

A 4500 square feet area was allotted in the hospital complex to fulfill this aim. An NICU complex has been planned with a well endowed patient care area, support areas for the intensive care unit, side lab and teaching facility to impart training in advanced neonatal care to nursing and medical personnel.

Objectives of the Neonatology Department:

1. Provide high and intermediate dependency care for neonates--- The NICU would be capable of taking care of all critically ill neonates, premature and extremely low birth weight ( < 1000 gram) infants.
2. Provide and care for all neonates delivered at the hospital---This would include support for neonatal resuscitation at delivery, management     of problems like neonatal jaundice; and supportive care for high risk infants like those born to mothers with diseases complicating pregnancy.
3. Develop a comprehensive training center in Neonatology---
   (a) Provide training for Pediatricians  in Neonatal intensive care, develop community neonatology modules and undertake research in topics of interest in Neonatology.
   (b) Provide training for nurses in all aspects of neonatal care; Impart short term courses for nurses in neonatal intensive care nursing; and become a nodal point for continuing medical and nursing education.

A modern state of the art Neonatal Intensive care unit was consecrated in March 2004 - a task completed over a short period of 7 months.

 
Infrastructure and equipment.

The NICU with a total area Approx. 4500 sq ft has 1500 sq.ft patient care area, and equal areas for support services and passages. A 15 bedded NICU with 5 ventilators (including  High Frequency Ventilation) state of the art equipment, and above all a team of highly dedicated neonatal nurses constitutes the nerve center of the department of Neonatology.

Academics:

A one-year post MD clinical fellowship in neonatology was started in March 2004. A MOU was signed between the MOSCMCH and the Bharati Vidya Peeth Deemed University, Pune for making this a twinning program. The candidates would be eligible for a certificate from the university on the successful completion of the course and passing an examination conducted by the university. Amongst a large number of applicants from all over India 3 candidates were selected.

A fellowship in neonatal intensive care nursing for individuals with the BSc nursing qualifications was commenced in May 2004. 3 candidates were selected under this scheme.

The MOSCMCH was one of the 8 centers in the country selected in May 2004 by the WHO Neonatal Training Center AIIMS New Delhi for Training of Trainers in essential neonatal nursing. Two of our nurses were certified as qualified trainers imparting training essential neonatal nursing.

  The management has committed nearly Rs. 50, 00, 000 ( appr. US$ 100,000). In order to equip the department to its maximal potential, another US$  100,000 would be required. It is well realized that to overcome this economic dichotomy of providing advanced care at lower costs would require the philanthropic support of many. Unavailability of advanced medical care to the economically underprivileged has been the bane of modern medicine. It is our endeavor to over come this fallacy.  A lot has been done since the initial plans of modernizing neonatal care at our hospital. It would however be imprudent to rest on our laurels as we have a still many miles to go