Tirupati: MNCU inaugurated at Govt Maternity Hospital in pilgrim city

Tirupati: The first Mother-Newborn Care Unit (MNCU), the biggest in the state, was inaugurated at the Government Maternity Hospital in Tirupati on Friday. Ruia hospital in-charge superintendent Dr N Nageswara Rao inaugurated the new facility in the presence of SV Medical College Principal Dr PA Chandrasekharan and maternity hospital superintendent Dr Lakshmi Susheela.

Speaking on the occasion, Dr Nageswara Rao said that the MNCU would help save more lives with lesser investment. It will be very useful for mothers and newborn babies. Dr Chandrasekharan said the new facility helps in improving the neonatal care.

It has been set up at the maternity hospital to make it available to the needy.

Maternity hospital superintendent Dr Lakshmi Susheela said till now a sick baby was kept under intensive care in the neonatal wing – either special newborn care unit (SNCU) or neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), far from the mother's bed. While a number of states are developing MNCUs, AP is the frontrunner in this aspect, she said. The MNCU will have equipment for babies along with all facilities the mother needs.

Head of Paediatrics department Dr AS Kireeti has been supervising the project along with the SNCU nodal officer Dr Ramakishore.

The concept of MNCU came up after an assessment of SNCUs in different states. One common problem noticed was that there were no facilities for mothers of referred babies and there was no uniformity in layout.

MNCU will be linked to an app to help nurses and paediatricians to ensure all patient care protocols are followed.

The babies will not be separated from their mothers unless there is a strong medical reason to do so. In case of a separation too, the mother will be in the next room and not far away like in another building which is normally the case.