Chandigarh: 32-bed paediatric ICU centre to come up at GMSH-16
Government Multi Speciality Hospital already has 20-bed similar facility for kids; GMCH-32 has also reserved 14 ventilators at its paediatric ICU, while a dozen ventilators are available at the neonatal care facility
To tackle the spread of Covid infection among children during the possible third wave of the pandemic, the Government Multi Speciality Hospital (GMSH) in Sector 16 has decided to set up a 32-bed dedicated paediatric ICU centre.
As per medical experts, the third wave could be more aggressive and is likely to affect the unvaccinated people.
“The dedicated paediatric unit will be built at the hospital’s vacant nursing hostel. Since the nursing hostel was shifted to the campus of Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH), Sector 32, we had enough space for this centre. The paediatric centre will have 12 ventilators while the remaining 20 beds will have medical oxygen facility,” said Dr VK Nagpal, joint director, health services, Chandigarh.
“A team of experts will be available around the clock at the centre to monitor the children. In case of emergency, we will expand the facility. The project is at tendering stage and the ICU centre will start functioning in a month,” he added.
The Sector-16 hospital already has 20-bed ICU facility for kids which has eight ventilators and 12 beds with oxygen facility at the hospital’s surgical ward.
“Since very few children were infected with the virus during the first and the second surge, we are expecting low severity among the paediatric population again. Despite that, we are upgrading the facilities and taking no chance. Even if the new centre takes some time to start functioning, we already have 20 ICU beds available at present to handle the situation,” Dr Nagpal said.
Other government hospitals in Chandigarh are also ramping up their facilities.
GMCH-32 has also reserved 14 ventilators at its paediatric ICU (for children below 10), while a dozen ventilators are available at the neonatal care facility.
During the second wave of the pandemic, around 10 ventilators were dedicated for the paediatric population at the NHE Covid Block of the Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER).
Besides, PGIMER also had 35-bed ICU with oxygen facility at the institute’s paediatric department.