<p>Bengaluru: The Indira Gandhi Institute of Child Health (IGICH) in Jayanagar has been upgraded from a 450-bed facility to a 1,000-bed hospital.</p><p>Built at an estimated cost of Rs 135 crore, the new eight-storey building is ready, but will open once the Department of Medical Education (DME) recruits the required staff, officials said.</p><p>The new block will include 25 Neonatal Intensive Care Units (NICUs).<br>"We already have 50 NICUs, and they are always full. The additional units will help us treat more newborns,” said Dr Sanjay KS, Director, IGICH.</p><p>The hospital is also set to introduce organ transplant services, including bone marrow and renal transplants. It currently treats around 1,500 children with thalassemia, and the new facility will enable bone marrow transplants for these patients, he added.</p><p>To support the expansion, IGICH has requested the DME to recruit 100 more doctors and 300 nurses. “Since we are starting transplantation services, we’ll need more nurses to provide one-to-one care,” Dr Sanjay said.</p>.Delhi blast: Bengaluru police commissioner urges residents not to panic.<p>Sujatha Rathod, Director, DME, said recruitment has been delayed due to the ongoing legal case over internal reservation. “We can recruit candidates, but cannot issue appointment orders as the matter is pending in court,” she said.</p>.<p>The new block will also house a fetal medicine unit, launched two months ago, where over 40 pregnant women have been screened so far. The service helps expectant parents detect rare diseases in the fetus and make informed decisions about the pregnancy.</p>.<p>IGICH also performs ear cartilage implants to help children regain hearing and normal function — about 80 such procedures have been carried out to date.</p>.<p>The institute is recognised as Karnataka’s Centre of Excellence for Rare Diseases.</p>
<p>Bengaluru: The Indira Gandhi Institute of Child Health (IGICH) in Jayanagar has been upgraded from a 450-bed facility to a 1,000-bed hospital.</p><p>Built at an estimated cost of Rs 135 crore, the new eight-storey building is ready, but will open once the Department of Medical Education (DME) recruits the required staff, officials said.</p><p>The new block will include 25 Neonatal Intensive Care Units (NICUs).<br>"We already have 50 NICUs, and they are always full. The additional units will help us treat more newborns,” said Dr Sanjay KS, Director, IGICH.</p><p>The hospital is also set to introduce organ transplant services, including bone marrow and renal transplants. It currently treats around 1,500 children with thalassemia, and the new facility will enable bone marrow transplants for these patients, he added.</p><p>To support the expansion, IGICH has requested the DME to recruit 100 more doctors and 300 nurses. “Since we are starting transplantation services, we’ll need more nurses to provide one-to-one care,” Dr Sanjay said.</p>.Delhi blast: Bengaluru police commissioner urges residents not to panic.<p>Sujatha Rathod, Director, DME, said recruitment has been delayed due to the ongoing legal case over internal reservation. “We can recruit candidates, but cannot issue appointment orders as the matter is pending in court,” she said.</p>.<p>The new block will also house a fetal medicine unit, launched two months ago, where over 40 pregnant women have been screened so far. The service helps expectant parents detect rare diseases in the fetus and make informed decisions about the pregnancy.</p>.<p>IGICH also performs ear cartilage implants to help children regain hearing and normal function — about 80 such procedures have been carried out to date.</p>.<p>The institute is recognised as Karnataka’s Centre of Excellence for Rare Diseases.</p>