CMCH tops in survival rate of newborns in Tamil Nadu

Coimbatore: Achieving a new milestone in neonatal care, the Special Neonatal Care Unit (SNCU) of the Coimbatore Medical College Hospital (CMCH) has an overall survival rate of 94% and a 90 % survival rate for newborns with very low birth weight. 

The SNCU now reportedly achieved the greatest survival rate among government hospitals in Tamil Nadu for preterm infants and neonates who are hospitalised with very low birth weight (1.5 kg and below) and extremely low birth weight (1 kg and below). 

According to CMCH Dean A Nirmala, in total, 2,535 newborns, including 676 referred cases from other hospitals, were admitted to the SNCU till July 31 of this year, and 439 of them weighed less than 1.5 kg. 

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According to Dr Senthilkumar, neonatologist and the regional nodal officer for SNCUs in the west zone, the SNCU has made significant progress in natal care by efficiently handling the cases of preterm babies (between 28 and 32 weeks of gestation) and those below 28 weeks. "Saving babies below 27 weeks is a challenging task and it requires further facilities,” he added

The SNCU functions under the Department of Paediatrics headed by Professor A Lakshmanaswamy and Associate Professor and Paediatrician B.R. Sasikumar in the lead. Assistant professor and neonatologist V.K. Sathyan informed The Hindu, "We get newborns weighing as low as 600 grams or even below." Two neonatologists, one paediatrician, five postgraduate medical students and 20 staff work round the clock to maintain the quality of services in the facility. 

Due to premature birth, low birth weight, and other issues, mothers who delivered their babies in other government hospitals are often referred to the SNCU at CMCH. From private hospitals, babies with difficulties are also transported to the centre. Breast milk from the mother's milk bank affiliated with the Department also plays a crucial role in rescuing premature and low birth rate newborns, in addition to the specialised care and treatment provided by the SNCU team.

In order to ensure skin-to-skin contact between the mother and the newborn, the SNCU also provides postnatal mothers with training in kangaroo mother care. Assistant professor and paediatrician N. Karpagam stated, "Kangaroo mother care gives the right temperature to newborns, improves bonding and lactation. This also reduces infections in babies and improves their respiration and neurological development. Mothers benefit from it."