Pokhara hospital sets up infant critical care unit

POKHARA, May 12: In a bid to prevent and reduce the number of infant deaths in the district, Kaski Sewa Hospital and Research Centre in Pokhara Sub-metropolis-12 has set up Newborn and Infant Critical Care Unit (NICU) at the hospital. This is the first time such a unit has been set up in a hospital outside the Kathmandu Valley.



According to the hospital chairperson Basudev Giri, the need for NISU was felt after cases of critically ill infants dying due to lack of proper treatment increased in the district.



"Earlier, the parents of the ill infants had to rush to Kathmandu for necessary treatment but after the unit was set up here, the trouble is gone," said Giri.



Managing Director of the hospital, Padam Bahadur Khadka, informed that the unit has been operated by a team of ten doctors specializing in infant treatment and care.



"Premature births, infants born with illness and underweight cases are rife in the district. We believe that this new service will be helpful," said Khadka. "Sadly, the Western Regional Hospital in Pokhara also lacks this service," he added.



Based on a UNICEF report, 41 out of 1,000 infants in Nepal die due to the lack of proper treatment and around a quarter of these deaths have been blamed for the lack of NICU facilities.



"Compared to other hospitals, we provided quality services and even the treatment charges are comparatively cheaper," said Khadka.

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