Mysore/Mysuru: In a bid to prevent infant mortality in Mysuru District, the State-run Cheluvamba Hospital will soon get a cutting-edge mobile Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), also called a neonatal ambulance, that has been launched Statewide for emergency treatment of new-borns.

This new addition, under Integrated Management of Neonatal and Child ICU, aims to ensure prompt and safe transportation of premature and critically-ill infants from remote areas of the district to specialised healthcare facilities at district centres.

This mobile NICU is the only one of its kind in Mysuru Division and is part of a broader initiative that includes similar units for Vani Vilas Hospital in Bengaluru, Raichur Institute of Medical Sciences in Raichur and Karnataka Institute of Medical Sciences in Hubballi. The Department of Health and Family Welfare has provided these units with the goal of achieving a single-digit neonatal mortality rate.

Speaking to Star of Mysore this morning, State Health Commissioner D. Randeep highlighted the challenges new-born babies face in adjusting to the external environment after birth, often leading to various health issues.

“To address this concern, we have initiated the NICU ambulance service — launched recently by Health and Family Welfare Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao — for the first time in the State. This service aims to provide emergency healthcare to new-borns while they are being transferred from one                            hospital to another.

Notably, in Mysuru, from April 2023 to January 2024, there were 31,423 live births with 18 maternal deaths and 329 infant deaths and in 2022-23, there were 35,441 live births, 22 maternal deaths and 558 infant deaths.

According to District Health Officer (DHO) Dr. P.C. Kumaraswamy, the NICU will arrive in Mysuru soon. “Many villages in rural Mysuru do not have access to Primary Health Centres (PHCs) and even if there is access, post-natal care is not available. People can seek help from the NICU to take care of the babies and these ambulances will be helpful in safely transporting premature babies and during serious health emergencies safely for further treatment,” he said.

“They have modern life-saving equipment including ventilator, incubator, oxygen, pulse check and injections and they will have a neonatologist, ASHA workers and nurses appointed to take care of the new-born babies. Timely access to specialised care can greatly improve the chances of survival for critically-ill new-borns and enhance long-term health outcomes, ultimately improving the quality of life for new-borns,” the DHO added.

In Mysuru district, every month, on an average, 300 to 350 child births are recorded in K.R. Nagar, 125 to 150 in H.D. Kote, 100 to 125 in Nanjangud, 50 to 100 in Hunsur, 125 to 150 in T. Narasipur and Periyapatna.

“Earlier, most of the deliveries were referred to Mysuru as there were no facilities at Taluk Hospitals and the pressure on Mysuru’s maternity hospitals was too much . Now, all the Taluk Hospitals have been strengthened and the infrastructure has been upgraded at Cheluvamba Hospital, SMT Maternity Hospital, V.V. Puram Maternity Hospital, Community Health Centre Bannur, and Taluk Hospitals at T. Narsipur, Nanjangud, H.D. Kote, Periyapatna, Hunsur and K.R. Nagar,” Dr. Kumaraswamy added.