After five months of waiting for neonatal intensive care (NICU), the Chauhan's finally got an NICU bed for their premature son in BJ Wadia Children Hospital, Parel on Tuesday. Both KEM and LTMG Sion hospitals had turned away the couple saying their neonatal ICU beds were occupied and that there was a long waiting list.
"Our one-month-old premature son was born in Alliance Hospital in Nallasopara on October 1. Doctors recommended admitting him in a neonatal ICU as he was highly prone to infections and transmissible diseases. My son also suffers from thyroid-related complications," said Aruna, the mother.
Unable to afford the cost of private hospitals, the couple approached KEM and Sion hospitals run by the BMC. "Both hospitals showed us a long waiting list; we then decided to put the child in a thermocol icebox bought from a Nallasopara fish market," said Aruna.
The infant was shifted to Wadia's NICU and doctors said his condition is stable. "The child has been suffering from diarrhoea for the past five days. He was dehydrated when he was brought to us. We have given him a lot of fluid and he is undergoing tests," said a doctor in Wadia Hospital.
Dr Mini Bodhanwala, CEO, Wadia Hospital, said: "There is definitely a shortage of NICU beds. In our hospital, we have 60 dedicated NICU beds, which we will increase to 80 by July."
On the growing demand for NICU beds and waiting list, Dr Bondhanwala said that there was no question of a waiting list in neonatal care. "You either have a NICU bed or lose the baby. You cannot afford to have a waiting list. To deal with the problem, we do have extra warmers. All infants admitted in NICU don't need ventilators. With extra warmers, we manage as many cases as we can," said Dr Bodhanwala.
For a population of 1.2 crore, doctors say, at least 1,200 NICU beds are required, as mandated by the World Health Organization.
"There are only 315 NICU beds altogether in the 13 leading private and four public hospitals that are capable of handling delicate neonatal cases," said Dr Nandkishor Kabra, paediatrician, Surya Child Care Hospital in Santa Cruz.
Shockingly, Mumbai falls short of NICU beds requirement by 75%. "These hospitals meet only 25% of the total bed requirement. Many children are either not admitted to NICUs because of lack of beds, or are accommodated in overcrowded rooms," said Dr Kabra.
According to the reports released by the Indian Foundation of Premature Babies, of the 7,204 babies delivered last year at KEM Hospital, up to 22% were preterm. A majority of these babies die as the hospitals fail to provide the mother and child effective NICU facilities.
Hospitals like KEM and Sion, have up to 40 beds in neonatal care unit; over 80 kids are accommodated in the limited space. "Up to five to six newborns with deadly complications get admitted to Sion or KEM hospitals every day. We cannot refuse NICU facilities to children who are brought by hapless parents. We have to accommodate up to three babies per bed as we don't have enough facilities," said Dr Jayshree Mondhkar, head, neonatology department, Sion Hospital.
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