The first paediatric intensive care unit (PICU) at a state-run hospital was inaugurated today at Ganesh Das Government Maternal and Child Health Hospital here.
Work on the PICU began in June last year and was completed recently as fears grew that the third wave of the Covid-19 pandemic would affect children in greater numbers. As such there was concern that Meghalaya’s government hospitals did not have a PICU facility.
Today, Health and Family Welfare Minister James Sangma, who inaugurated the PICU, informed that more than 30 percent of hospital cases at Ganesh Das are paediatric in nature, which demonstrates the very real need for such a facility.
He also noted that this unit, which is one of a planned nine to be constructed, was set up as Meghalaya completed 50 years of statehood. “It is very symbolic and very significant that we were able to inaugurate this paediatric ICU,” he said.
He gave credit to Principal Secretary in the department, Sampath Kumar, for conceptualising the PICU and pursuing the matter “on all fronts” and added his thanks to the rest of the Health Department and the team led by Director of Health Services Dr Aman Warr for making it a reality.
Ganesh Das was chosen as the first of the nine hospitals for a PICU because 15 percent of all institutional deliveries in the area take place at this hospital.
Senior paediatric specialist at the hospital, Dr T Pde, said that the need for the PICU was apparent given the anticipation that children will be more affected by the third wave of Covid-19 pandemic than had been the case in the previous two waves.
