Chikmagalur govt hospital lacks Neo-natal ICU

Doctors reportedly ask pregnants admitted in the hospital to shift to private hospital. Sunil, husband of a pregnant, who was admitted to the hospital, told Deccan Hearld that doctors asked him to shift his wife either to private hospital or to Hassan as the District Hospital does not have a Neo-natal Intensive Care Unit (NICU).

“My wife had experienced pain even before the expected date. Hence, I took her to the Government Hospital. However, doctors are now saying that the possibility of survival of baby is very less as it has not been grown adequately,”

Further, he said that the doctors assure safe delivery, but they are not sure about new-born baby’s health as the hospital does not have a NICU. “This is an injustice that they neither provide facilities nor assure baby’s health. If this is the situation, how poor people can afford to go to private hospital,” he lamented.

He said that doctors in the hospital cannot be blamed, but at the same time, it is the negligence of the government. “It is unfortunate that a district government hospital does not have a NICU. Rich people can go to private hospital and shell out money to save their new-born babies. What should poor people like me do in such a situation,” he questioned and urged the people’s representatives to take initiaves to open a NICU in the hospital.

NICU in 3 months

District Surgeon O G Prakash said that a proposal has been submitted for the setting up of NICU. “Doctors were appointed and the unit has been sanctioned,” he said and added that the unit will be opened in another three months.