The Special Newborn Care Unit of Tiruchi Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Government Hospital (MGMGH) was awarded the third prize for ‘Best Performance’ in newborn care. For the third consecutive year, the department’s feat has been acknowledged during the National Newborn Week celebration.
The award was given based on the number of babies successfully treated and saving underweight and at-risk babies by the State child health nodal centre. At least, 4,500 infants are saved each year, with a minimum of 1,500 of them being referred to MGMGH after birth. And not less than 1,000 babies were given ventilation including for half of them born with weight of below 1.5 kg. As many as 150 babies were given surfactant treatment to help process oxygen,” said hospital dean K. Vanitha.
While there was an increase in the number of babies put on ventilation over the last year, the unit maintains a 97% survival rate. “It is entirely due to the hard work of staff nurses and matrons. While doctors monitor the babies, the nurses are with them all the time, ensuring their well-being,” said K. Senthil Kumar, neonatologist, MGMGH.
The Special Newborn Care Unit is manned by a team of 12 doctors, 25 house surgeons and 19 staff nurses.
The unit has also administered 500 pneumococcal vaccines to underweight babies. The vaccine costing ₹4,000 per shot in open market was administered to all babies free of cost. “A 25-week-old baby was born at 580 gm, the lowest we have seen this year. The baby is now hale and hearty,” Dr. Senthil Kumar said.
The department is fully equipped to handle all emergencies and, amid the pandemic, has cared for 325 babies born to COVID-19 mothers. Ten newborns were also positive.
The breast milk bank at the unit, too, continued to work through the lockdown. A total of 4,000 litres of milk was fed to 1,800 babies since the bank’s inception.