Taking a stride in its mission to enhance maternal and infant health in the State, Health Minister T. Harish Rao inaugurated a 200-bed Mother and Child Hospital (MCH) multi-speciality facility on Sunday within the premises of Gandhi Hospital.
The construction of the hospital, spanning an area of 1.5 lakh square feet, reached completion in 18 months with a sanctioned fund of ₹55 crore. The ground floor of the facility hosts essential features such as an out-patient (OP) ward, laboratory, x-ray services, an antenatal care unit, and a pharmacy. On the first floor, a 32-bed unit is complemented by a high dependency (HD) section catering to patients requiring intensive monitoring, along with a dedicated labour, delivery, recovery (LDR) ward.
The second floor encompasses 23 beds and LDR wards, while the third floor boasts 60 beds and antenatal care facilities. Progressing upwards, the fourth floor presents 60 beds alongside post-natal wards. The fifth floor provides 25 beds housing an IVF Centre, a step-down room, a Special Newborn Care Unit (SNCU), and a Kangaroo Mother Care centre fostering crucial skin-to-skin contact between premature infants and their mothers. The sixth floor is home to a post-operative ward and medical ICU wards, while the seventh floor accommodates an advanced operation theatre and post-operative recovery areas.
Apart from 200 beds, the hospital also has 90 ICU beds on the fifth, sixth and seventh floors.
Currently, the Obstetrics and Gynecology Department at Gandhi Hospital boasts a capacity of 300 beds. The new addition elevates the collective bed count to 500, exclusively dedicated to delivering specialised multi-specialty care to mothers and children, said Mr. Harish Rao.
The Minister also revealed plans to introduce an infertility centre within Gandhi Hospital, marking an initiative within Telangana’s government healthcare facilities. Additionally, the establishment of an exclusive organ transplant block within the hospital is underway, he said.
Speaking to The Hindu, Dr. Raja Rao, the hospital superintendent, shared insights into the facility’s operations. Outpatient services are set to commence immediately at the MCH, while the full spectrum of services is expected to roll out over the course of a month. To ensure the functionality of the ICUs, a meticulous bacteriological culture assessment of surfaces using swab testing is required. This process encompasses three swab tests, each taking approximately five days to complete.
Addressing staffing requirements, Dr. Raja Rao added that in adherence to the National Medical Commission (NMC) norms, the facility will be needing a workforce of 380 professionals. The Obstetrics Department from Gandhi Hospital will transition to the MCH facility, poised to cater comprehensively to the healthcare needs of the community.
In addition to the MCH facility, Health Minister Harish Rao marked the occasion by flagging-off 33 neo-natal ambulances, one for each district, and inaugurating a modern dietary kitchen within Gandhi Hospital. The neonatal ambulances will have ventilators, two d-type cylinders with regulators, flow meters, humidifiers, monitors with pulse oximeters, syringe pumps boasting extended battery life and suction apparatus so that there is uninterrupted service to the patient.
