ICH suspends admission to NICU, OPD services as 12 nurses test +ve

KOLKATA: The Institute of Child Health (ICH) has decided to close

new admissions in the NICU

and suspend

OPD services

temporarily after 12 nurses, who were attached with the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), tested positive to Covid-19. The emergency services, however, will continue to function normally. Two more Group D workers of the hospital too have tested positive.

“The

NICU

is in a separate building. We will continue treatment of the children at NICU till we find a safe place to shift them,” said paediatrician Apruba Ghosh, director ICH.

There are seven children at the NICU currently, their swab samples too will be tested before shifting them. A few days ago, a nurse from the NICU unit had tested positive. The hospital had kept 17 healthcare workers attached to the NICU under quarantine and their samples were tested.

One of the most reputable hospitals for children in the state, the hospital administration has been running its services despite the financial and manpower constraints due to the lockdown.

“We had converted few wards for accommodation of healthcare workers, including nurses, housekeeping staffers so that we could continue to provide services,” said Ghosh.

Ghosh himself had given up his office room to accommodate the accountant, so had all departmental heads to convert their rooms for accommodating healthcare workers. The seminar room, auditorium and an emergency surgery OT are being used as dormitory for around 50 employees from far flung places who are putting up on the hospital premises.

Doctors, including Prabhash Prasun Giri and Aniruddha Ghosh, who drive from home, are regularly picking up nurses and ward boys on way to hospital and handing over the car to hospital drivers to fetch more healthworkers once they reach the hospital.

“It is a tough time. But in no way we could close down services because of the constraints. But we are not sure how long we can pull through,” said Prabhas Prasun Giri, PICU in-charge. Seven children are being taken care at the PICU currently. The team even managed to raise funds for the prolonged treatment of a child whose parents were unable to foot the bill. The child was sent home cured during the lockdown.

Meanwhile, another healthcare worker attached with College of Medicine and Sagore Dutta Medical College has tested positive to Covid-19. About twelve close contacts have been put under quarantine.

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