Ahmedabad:
Despite the high infant mortality rates plaguing rural India, almost 8-9 out of 10 infants treated at the Gujarat Adani Institute of Medical Sciences (GAIMS) operated district hospital G. K. General Hospital, Bhuj were discharged successfully according to the government data available on Sick Newborn Care Unit (SNCU) website.
According to authorities at the GAIMS, consistent efforts to improve healthcare facilities have led to lower Infant Mortality Rate (IMR) at the facility. Its records show that IMR has nearly halved from 21% in 2014-15 to 14% in 2018-19. At the moment, the G. K. General Hospital, Bhuj is having 30 bedded SNCU with other required infrastructure facilities required for being a frontline modern critical care facility available at district hospital.
GAIMS is a unique Public-Private-Partnership (PPP) venture between Government of Gujarat and Adani Education and Research Foundation. GAIMS is one of its kind teaching, research, academic and unique charitable institution who had accepted the challenging operations of largest hospital of the district and successfully managing G. K. General Hospital, Bhuj only district hospital of Kachch since 2013. Since handing over of G. K. General Hospital to GAIMS broad figures of data give an idea of the volume of work being carried out by GAIMS at G. K. General Hospital and these numbers are increasing year by year.
The high Newborn Mortality Rate in the region is linked to the massive geography of the Kutch district, the largest district in India. Patients who come for critical care are forced to travel large distance to reach the hospital. Often severely critical patients referred to the hospital develop complications on the way, before admission.
We continue to attract and retain qualified specialist doctors in this facility. Also we will continue to work with the government to upgrade the facility at district at par with any other modern institute. Our larger aim is to provide quality health care to the people of Kutch in rural Gujarat. Our aim to reduce IMR is in sync with Government of Gujarat. said Dr. Shardul Chaurushia, spokesperson, GAIMS.
All SNCUs of the state are being monitored by health department of state and along with National Health Mission, Government of India and UNICEF. The data such as admissions, discharges and deaths are being monitored and analysed by them. Said Dr. Hasmukh Chauhan, Head of the Department Paediatrics, GAIMS.
According to public health experts the Newborn Mortality Rate in any given hospital is highly variable depending on the number of complicated patients admitted in them. If a hospital is getting very complicated cases its mortality rate will be higher, added medical experts.