Noida child hospital offers facilities to paediatricians from neighbouring districts

The decision has come a day after a three-day-old infant died due to non-availability of specialised medical services at a government hospital in Ghaziabad.

The Super Specialty Child Hospital and Post Graduate Institute (SSCHPGI) in Sector 30 has decided to write to the health authorities in neighbouring districts as well as paediatrics forums, giving details of medical facilities available with them so that children in need of specialised medical facilities can avail them at nominal charges.

The family of the baby who died for want of an ambulance for transport to a private hospital. (HT Photo)

The decision has come a day after a three-day-old infant died due to non-availability of specialised medical services at a government hospital in Ghaziabad. The family wanted to shift the baby to a private hospital but was not provided an ambulance on grounds that government ambulances were not allowed to ferry patients to private facilities. The father of the child had to ferry the gasping infant on his scooter to a private hospital where the child was declared brought dead.

SSCHPGI director Dr DK Gupta said a letter to the chief medical officers, principal medical officers (chief medical superintendent) of government hospitals in various neighbouring districts will be issued. “I will ask the medical superintendent of our institute to issue a letter tomorrow giving details of the various super specialty facilities available at SSCHPGI. These facilities are available at nominal charges,” he said.

According to the authorities at the women’s hospital at the MMG Government Hospital, Ghaziabad, the infant developed complications as he was not burped properly after breastfeeding. The doctors had said that the milk had entered the baby’s lungs and they did not have the facility of endotracheal tube and ventilator support to deal with such a situation. The hospital also did not provide an ambulance for shifting the infant to a private hospital.

Dr Gupta said the SSCHPGI is fully equipped to deal with such a situation and many other complications. “We do have the facility of endotracheal tube with ventilator support. In fact, ours is a premiere institute with faculties and infrastructure to deal with various pediatric issues,” he added.

The state-run hospital has been built at a cost of around ₹701 crore. The estimated cost of infrastructure and equipment is pegged at ₹1,500 crore. The hospital has facilities for outpatient department and admission.

The departments of pediatric surgery, medicine, neurology, neonatology, gastroenterology, ENT, ophthalmology, orthopaedic surgery, plastic surgery, pathology, microbiology, biochemistry, radiology, psychology, dental surgery and physiotherapy have already been made functional.