Neonatal block at Tambaram GH to be open by July

The 14-bedded paediatric ward in the neonatal block offers anaesthetic emergency care six bedded New Born Stabilisation Units (NBSU) and other screening facilities.

“The neonatal block would help to provide better services for pregnant and new mothers. The NBSUs and Intensive Care Unit will be equipped with a cardiorespiratory monitor, blood pressure monitor, pulse oximeter, transcutaneous oxygen/carbon dioxide monitor, X-ray, ultrasound and CT scan,” said Dr C Palanivel, Chief Medical Officer at Tambaram Government Hospital.

The NBSU at the new block will provide normal new-born care, breastfeeding support, sick new-born care, phototherapy for with hyper bilirubin, management facilities for sepsis and stabilisation of children with low birth weight.

The hospital receives highest admissions for childbirth and pregnancy cases and very often pre-term delivery cases and critical care cases were referred to ICH. However, the new block will be able to provide timely neonatal services to the patients from outskirts, added Dr Palanivel.

The new block was announced a year back for the expansion of the hospital and receives more than 1,500 outpatient admissions every day from various localities, including GST Road, Mudichur, Pallavaram, Meenambakkam, Kundrathur, Padappai and Oragadam. However, the lack of separate neonatal unit has been forcing medicos to refer the patients to the Institute of Child Health in Egmore.