10 Bed ICU units added to govt hospitals in Nagaland

Our Correspondent
Kohima | January 7

Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio today launched 10 Bed ICU project in 12 district hospitals in the state. This 10 Bed ICU project have been connected to District Hospital, Kiphire, District Hospital, Phek, District Hospital, Tuensang, District Hospital, Noklak, District Hospital, Dimapur, District Hospital, Peren, Dr Motsuo Memorial District Hospital, Wokha, District Hospital, Longleng, Dr.Imkongliba Memorial District Hospital, Mokokchung, Hezukhu Memorial District Hospital, Zunheboto, District Hospital, Mon and Naga Hospital Authority Kohima (NHAK).

In 10 Bed ICU project ICU wards with state-of-the-art medical equipment have been set up.

A set of medical equipment required to run a 10 bedded ICU unit has been provided. Equipment includes; Hamilton ventilator, 5 para BPL monitor, ABG Analyzer, Syringe-pump etc.

Rio also inaugurated a High tech Tele-ICU Hub at NHAK in the presence of  Nagaland Health & Family Welfare Minister, S Pangnyu Phom, 10 Bed ICU Org. chairman Srikanth Nadhamuni and others representatives from HDFC Bank, eGov Foundation, Nagaland Gandhi Ashram, Karuna Trust etc.

Nandan Nilekani, chairman INFOSYS and Vinod Khosla, founder Khosla Ventures also joined the launching programme from Bengaluru and California respectively through video conference.

All the ICU units are also equipped with Tele-ICU platform. The Tele-ICU facility would enable the doctors and nurses in district hospitals, which lack specialist medical practitioners, to get real- time medical advice and consultation from specialists in NHAK.

The 10 Bed ICU Project is an innovative Public Private Partnership project between the Department of Health & Family Welfare, Nagaland, and 10 Bed ICU partner NGOs (eGov Foundation and Karuna Trust).

The Project was launched in June 2021 as a response to the devastation caused by the COVID 19-second wave.

HDFC Bank Parivartan funded the 10BedICU ward in Dimapur district hospital, and Vinod Khosla supported the 10BedICU wards in all the other districts. Vinod Khosla also funded the Tele-ICU Hub and spokes. Karuna Trust and Nagaland Gandhi Ashram are the field NGO partners of the project in Nagaland. Hamilton Medical Switzerland also donated one ventilator for every two ventilators procured.
 
‘Project has potential to transform critical healthcare services’
“I am happy that this project has, in a very systematic manner, first carried out a survey of existing facilities and assessed the infrastructural requirements. Thereafter, it has provided quality equipment -multi-channel monitors, ventilators, infusion pumps, ICU Beds – and also addressed the need for civil works, etc,” Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio said while addressing the launching programme at Capital Cultural Hall, Kohima.

Stating that the most critical part of running an ICU is the manpower, he expressed happiness that the project has innovatively addressed the difficulties on account of the shortage in specialist doctors through the Tele-ICU Hub at NHAK, and also by linking with resources outside Nagaland.

“The available specialist doctors at NHAK will now be able to monitor and provide critical care services remotely over high-speed internet connections and using cameras,” he said.

Without the physical presence of the specialist doctors and instead through their remote guidance, the trained healthcare staff at the District Hospitals will be able to provide the ICU services.

The Chief Minister said that the project has a potential to transform the provision of critical healthcare services in government hospitals in the state. It will provide such services within a shorter travel time for a needy patient, even in the remote districts.

Rio informed that the state government has been committed to “facilitating our people to achieve their fullest potential by providing improved education, healthcare, and core infrastructure.”

In addition to providing improved healthcare services closer to the citizens, Rio said “we are also providing financial cover to the entire population of the state with the unique Chief Minister’s Health Insurance Scheme along with the Prime Minister’s Ayushman Bharat Jan Arogya Scheme.”

These initiatives will make access to healthcare services affordable and equitable to all our citizens, Rio said.
Rio thanked Nilekani, Srikanth and Vinod Khosla for the support and generous funding of the 10 Bed ICUs project and the Tele ICU Hub in the state.
 
‘Treatment will be provided free of cost’
Nagaland’s health & family welfare minister S. Pangnyu Phom said, “With the help of the 10BedICU project, we are enhancing the critical care infrastructure across Nagaland.”

He maintained that the state-of-the-art ICU medical equipment and cutting-edge Tele-ICU technology will bring transformational change in healthcare delivery across Nagaland by delivering the much needed ICU critical care to the people.

He assured all of district hospitals that “we will provide high-speed internet connectivity to ensure that the Tele-ICU services and hence access to specialists at NHAK are available.”

This project is a win-win for all, because with the new ICU infrastructure and technology from the 10 Bed ICU Project, needy people can get their treatment within their district, instead of travelling elsewhere seeking medical care, the minister said.

Further, the treatment will be provided free of cost by the hospitals through the Chief Minister Health Insurance Scheme, he said.

Further, the minister requested eGov Foundation and donors to support in setting up more ICU facilities in the recently carved out districts of Chümoukedima, Niuland, Shamator and Tseminyu and also in strategic sub district hospitals as well as set up another Tele ICU Hub at CIHSR Dimapur.

He also requested the eGov Foundation to consider in supporting the state in setting up Tele-radiology facilities in Nagaland.

Nagaland Health & Family Welfare Commissioner & Secretary, Y Kikheto Sema said that with the launch of 10 Bed ICU project “Henceforth, the serious patients from the far flung districts need not rush to Kohima and Dimapur in search of an ICU beds and oxygen.”

Later taking to media persons, 10 Bed ICU Org chairman, Srikanth Nadhamuni assured to launch 10 Bed ICU project in four remaining districts as well including another Tele ICU Hub at CIHSR, Dimapur.

“We will certainly look into it,” Nadhamuni assured.

Later, Bisoya Loitongbam, Policy Lead & Programme Coordinator eGov Foundation thanked all the agencies and individuals toward the completion of the project in record time.

Source: https://morungexpress.com/10-bed-icu-units-added-to-govt-hospitals-in-nagaland