New Hope for Newborns: SMHRC Unveils Outborn NICU with 24/7 Expert Care
1020 bedded Shalinitai Meghe Hospital & Research Centre (SMHRC), Wanadongri, Nagpur, has announced the opening of a new dedicated Outborn Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at its 300-bed exclusive Shalinitai Meghe Mother & Child Division. This specialized unit is designed to provide comprehensive care for mothers, neonates, and children.
With the addition of this unit, the hospital now offers both Inborn and Outborn NICUs, allowing newborns born at other hospitals to be admitted and receive specialized neonatal care. The NICU is staffed by a team of experienced full-time paediatricians and neonatologists, including Dr. Kush Jhunjhunwala, Dr. Abhiram Chandran, Dr. Pooja, Dr. Ashwin, Dr. Minal, and Dr. Heena, all under the expert leadership of Dr. Chandrashekhar Bokade, Head of Paediatrics. This dedicated team, supported by skilled nursing and paramedical staff, provides 24/7 care to ensure the best possible outcomes for newborns.
The NICU is equipped with state-of-the-art medical technology, including advanced incubators, ventilators, and monitoring systems. It also follows stringent infection control protocols to maintain a safe and sterile environment, crucial for the recovery and well-being of neonates. It is added that state art Milk bank also function at SMHRC.
A Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) is a specialized facility for newborns who are born sick or premature, staffed with expert doctors, nurses, and equipped with advanced technology to care for critically ill term and preterm neonates. SMHRC’s NICU offers a wide range of services, including ventilator and CPAP support, surfactant therapy, double-volume exchange transfusions, total parenteral nutrition, central venous catheterization, invasive and non-invasive monitoring, X-rays, and phototherapy.
Dr. Bokade highlighted that, recognizing the financial burden that can come with long-term neonatal care, SMHRC has introduced a highly subsidized tariff structure to make specialized care accessible to all families without causing undue financial stress.
Dr. Anup Marar, Director of SMHRC, added that the repeated requests from parents and gynaecologists to provide NICU care for babies born in other hospitals inspired the creation of the new Outborn NICU, which caters exclusively to newborns in need of specialized care after delivery elsewhere.
As part of the Shalinitai Meghe Mother & Child Division, the NICU integrates seamlessly with other maternal and paediatric services, ensuring a continuum of care from birth through childhood. This holistic approach guarantees coordinated, compassionate care for both mother and child, tailored to their specific needs.
Dr. Richa Sharma, Administrator of Shalinitai Meghe Mother & Child Hospital, and Sr. Vishakha, Assistant Nursing Superintendent, along with their dedicated team, are working diligently to ensure all incoming newborns receive the best possible care.