Mysuru: Facing sustained pressure on its 30-bed neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) — driven by about 30 deliveries a day, at least five newborns needing intensive care, and longer stays for critical infants — Cheluvamba Hospital will add 30 NICU beds in two phases, doubling capacity to 60.In the first phase, 15 additional beds will be installed within the next 10 days. The remaining 15 beds will be added within two months, the hospital administration said.Hospital authorities said most babies admitted to the NICU require two to three days of monitoring. However, preterm and low-birth-weight infants suffering from sepsis and hypothermia often need prolonged care, staying for 15 to 20 days, which has increased pressure on available beds.Speaking to The Times of India, Mysore Medical College and Research Institute (MMCRI) department of paediatrics head Dr N Pradeep said the expansion would strengthen neonatal care services. “Due to the growing demand for NICU services, we proposed additional beds. At present, we have a 30-bed NICU. Within 10 days, 15 more beds will be added, and another 15 beds will be installed in the next two months, taking the total to 60 beds,” he said.Dr Pradeep said the hospital reports around 700 deliveries a month, with about 15% of newborns requiring NICU support. He added that a proposal has been submitted under National Health Mission to recruit additional staff for the expanded facility.
