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PMC-run special care units have only five ventilators for critical neonates
PMC-run SNCU at Kamala Nehru Hospital has 20 beds and five ventilators; the civic-run SNCU at Sonawane Hospital has 14 beds; while that at Rajiv Gandhi Hospital has 12 beds
As if the shortage of intensive care unit (ICU) beds in the city wasn’t enough, three special newborn care units (SNCUs) run by the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) for the entire population of the city have only five ventilators. So much so that the hapless kin have to run from pillar to post in search of ventilators for their critical neonates, according to activists.
The PMC-run SNCU at Kamala Nehru Hospital has 20 beds and five ventilators; the civic-run SNCU at Sonawane Hospital has 14 beds; while that at Rajiv Gandhi Hospital has 12 beds. As a result, newborns in need of treatment with ventilators are referred to Sassoon General Hospital (SGH) or forced to visit private facilities. The paediatric ward at Rajiv Gandhi Hospital with its ICU facility – planned during the Covid-19 pandemic – has been closed due to lack of manpower.
Daniyal Landge, health activist, has written multiple letters to the PMC to resume the paediatric ward at the ICU facility of Rajiv Gandhi Hospital. “We have to take patients to SGH or look for ventilator beds for children and newborns at multiple hospitals due to the lack of this facility. The golden hours get wasted while hunting for ventilator beds,” Landge said.
Dr Rupesh Agarwal, head of the Rajiv Gandhi Hospital, said that there are only three paediatricians at the hospital who handle the SNCU. “We need paediatricians and ventilators if we have to start the treatment of critical neonates. The paediatric ward can be started by us but there is a need for staff and specialised doctors to start the facility,” he said.
Dr Smita Sangade, assistant medical superintendent of the Kamala Nehru Hospital, said that the entire SNCU is running full and that all the ventilators are occupied. “The children in critical condition need ventilators during medical management and the occupancy time differs from two weeks to two months based on the condition and recovery. Patients cannot be admitted if the beds are occupied.”
Sharad Shetty, health activist, said that at Sonawane Hospital, patients with minor health issues are admitted to the SNCU and critical newborns are refused admission claiming the unavailability of ventilators and trained staff. “The mortality in the neonates with severe health issues is huge and the PMC has failed to address it. How can the entire PMC have only five ventilators to cater to such a large population of neonates,” Shetty said.
Dr Kalpana Baliwant, health officer of the PMC, assured to look into the issue and informed that a meeting will be held in a couple of days to discuss the issue and come up with a solution. “I will speak to the respective officials and see what can be done to address the problem.”
