Eminent paediatrician and neonatologist Dr B Shantharam Baliga has been given with ‘Lifetime Achievement Award’ by the Indian Academy of Paediatrics Neonatology Chapter.
The national-level award was given during ‘IAPNEOCON 2019’, the 12th national conference of the Indian Academy of Paediatrics Neonatology Chapter, organised in Bengaluru. Dr Karthik Nagesh N and Dr Praveen Venkatagiri, organising chairman and organising secretary of the conference respectively, officiated the award handover ceremony.
‘Lifetime Achievement Award’ was given to Dr Baliga for his extraordinary contribution to improving neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) in the public health sector.
He was pivotal in creating the Regional Advanced Pediatric Care Centre (RAPCC) at Mangaluru, and envisioning the new NICU at Lady Goschen Hospital after the hospital’s renovation this year. He also served at Kasturba Medical College as professor of Paediatrics and as head of the department. He has been associated with the malaria control programme of Mangaluru City Corporation since its inception in the early 1990s.
Dr Baliga has spearheaded an initiative of the state government to establish special newborn care units in 19 district hospitals across the state by the Health department.