Apollo Gleneagles Hospitals, Kolkata, has inaugurated a Dedicated State-of-the-Art Neonatal Retrieval Services unit

Neonates, or infants younger than four weeks, require specialized care to help them cope with the different health challenges that can pose a serious threat to their life and continued wellbeing. In case of medical emergencies, the need for proper retrieval therefore becomes important, especially since the neonates are prone to develop conditions like hypothermia (low body temperature), shortness of breath, and a sudden deterioration requiring urgent resuscitation and ventilation support. A poorly coordinated and unstructured transport may even result in a situation wherein the duration of hospital stay goes up, and the risk of long term disabilities and even death rises significantly.

The Neonatal Retrieval team at Apollo Gleneagles Hospitals, Kolkata, has been organized to address these challenges. Comprising of experienced Neonatologists, Paediatricians and other trained support personnel, the team is equipped with state-of-the-art portable ventilators, syringe pumps, incubators, saturation and ECG monitors, oxygen and air cylinders, and ambulances with adequate battery backup (for long journeys), enabling them to deliver a safe and secure transport service.

Speaking on the occasion on the launch, Dr Rupali Basu, President and CEO ER, Apollo Hospitals Group, India, observed, “New born babies require constant attention to ensure their continued health and wellbeing. With a mortality rate as high as 27 per 1000 live births in the country, we must ensure that our retrieval services are at par with the best institutions in the world, so that the future generations grow up strong and healthy. The Neonatal Retrieval Unit at Apollo Gleneagles Hospitals, Kolkata, is a humble effort in this direction, and promises to transform the paediatric care paradigm of the region.”