Sassoon gets paediatric and neonatal ICU dedicated to Covid

The new ward at Sassoon has been built as preparation for the much anticipated third wave of Covid wherein various studies and medical opinions have speculated that children (paediatric population) will be the most affected

PUNE: On Friday, October 22, a first-of-its-kind paediatric and neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) dedicated to Covid-19 was inaugurated by Sassoon General Hospital (SGH) and BJ Medical College; located in its newly-built, 11-storeyed building inside the hospital premises. The new ward has been built as preparation for the much anticipated third wave wherein various studies and medical opinions have speculated that children (paediatric population) will be the most affected. Built completely through corporate social responsibility (CSR) funds and donations, this will be the first-of-its-kind centre in a government hospital.

A first-of-its-kind paediatric and neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) dedicated to Covid-19 was inaugurated by Sassoon General Hospital (SGH) and BJ Medical College; located in its newly-built, 11-storeyed building inside the hospital premises. (HT PHOTO)

Dr Aarti Kinikar, head of the department at SGH’s paediatric ward said, “As of now, we have a general paediatric ward that was also used to isolate Covid-19 infected infants and older children. However with this new ward in place, we can have a dedicated Covid-19 ward for paediatric patients with the best of facilities. The new ward has about 12 beds and five radiant warmers for infants who are less than a month old. We also have 10 ventilators, 10 multipara monitors and syringe pumps.”

Dr Kinikar said that even post Covid-19, the ward will be useful in treating infants who require specialised care and highly valued medicines that are very expensive in private set-ups. “The NICU is located on the seventh floor and the existing paediatric ward will be moved completely to the floor eventually,” she said.

The funds were generated and ventilators, multipara monitors, radiant warmers, syringe pumps and other essential equipment and consumables worth Rs25 million procured through donations made by Credit Suisse through the Give India Foundation and Concern India Foundation. SGH dean Dr Vinayak Kale was present at the inaugural ceremony and said that the equipment will be used in the best interests of patients, especially poor and needy patients admitted to the paediatric and neonatal intensive care unit.