Civil hospital has no doctor for newborns

YAMUNANAGAR: The Sick Newborn Care Units (SNCUs) are reeling under acute shortage of medical professionals. The situation is so grim that Yamunanagar’s SNCU doesn’t have even a single doctor. The staff crunch in other SNCUs of the state is also reported to be equally alarming. As per the government policy, there should be four medical officers and eight staff nurses on round the clock duty besides class-four employees, sweepers and a data operator at an SNCU.The state health department had recruited the medical officers for SNCUs on contract basis and most of them have left the job for one or the reason.
In Yamunanagar’s SNCU, three medical officers were recruited on a contract basis last year, but all three doctors left their job, since two of them got a regular job in the state health department itself and one started his own private practice. Now, the SNCU is being manned either by the staff nurses or by the permanent paediatrician of Yamunanagar’s civil hospital.
According to information, there has been an increase in the number of sick newborns. In 2009 (from May to December) 60 sick newborns were reported in Yamunanagar’s SNCU, however in 2010 (from January to December) their number reached to 252. This year 25 sick new borns have been reported so far.
As per the “bulletin on rural health statistics”, India’s infant mortality rate (IMR) is 2.1 million per year and contributes to 21% of the global infant deaths. A major portion of IMR is attributed to neonatal deaths (deaths within first month of life which accounts for approximately 2/3rd of all infant mortality).
The major causes of newborn deaths are birth asphyxia, infection and pre-mature birth.
Dr Vijay Dahiya, a paediatrician at the civil hospital here, said that one of the effective steps to prevent these deaths is to have skilled birth attendants, trained in resuscitation, prevention of infection and temperature management. Most new born deaths can be prevented by simple cost effective solutions.
“Four basic needs of newborns after their birth are warmth, to be able to breathe normally, to be protected from infection, and to be fed properly,” said Dr Dahiya.
Yamunanagar’s CMO, Dr VK Sharma said that as per the state government policy, the medical officers for the SNCU were appointed on contract basis. Soon, posts of medical officers for the SNCU would be advertised to fill up the vacant posts on contract basis.