Daijiworld Media Network – Mangaluru
Mangaluru, Jun 25: In a significant development for maternal healthcare, a state-of-the-art Obstetrics Critical Care Unit (OCCU) is set to be launched at the historic 174-year-old Government Lady Goschen Hospital in Mangaluru. With more than 6,000 deliveries annually, this facility is aimed at drastically reducing maternal and infant mortality rates during childbirth.
The OCCU will be established on the second floor of the hospital, equipped with a comprehensive monitoring and life-saving system. The unit is being developed with the help of Rotary International, which is contributing medical equipment worth Rs 1 crore. This includes 20 monitors, 5 ventilators, a defibrillator, a transport incubator, syringe infusion pumps, a crash cart, and more — all currently in the supply stage.
An additional Rs 50 lac has been allocated for infrastructure development through government grants and private donations, bringing the total estimated investment to Rs 1.5 crore.
Recognizing the two hours before and after childbirth as the critical ‘golden hours’ for both mother and newborn, the new OCCU will provide intensive monitoring and intervention capabilities. This is vital as complications such as excessive bleeding may occur during the transfer from labour wards to general wards.
The unit includes 18 upgraded beds, each fitted with a monitoring and oxygen system. The facility will also house a pre-delivery waiting lounge, pre-labour ward, major labour counters, eclampsia ward, septic labour theatre, emergency obstetric operation theatre, postnatal ward, and a High Dependency Unit (HDU).
To ensure immediate care for newborns, especially those born with health complications, a transport incubator will be installed in the obstetric ICU. This equipment will protect newborns from temperature fluctuations and breathing issues as they transition from the mother’s womb. The incubator will come with battery backup, enabling transport and maintaining necessary warmth — a current gap, as the NICU is located on the upper floor.
Lady Goschen Hospital receives obstetrics and gynaecology cases not only from nine districts of Karnataka but also from three districts of Kerala. The hospital functions as a tertiary care center, handling a high volume of complex cases.
In the last five years, Lady Goschen Hospital has recorded a steady number of deliveries each year — 5,722 in 2019–20, 6,526 in 2020–21, 6,956 in 2021–22, 6,018 in 2022–23, and 6,464 in 2023–24, with an average of 6,337 deliveries annually.
In the last five years, the hospital recorded 31,685 deliveries, and another 15,830 deliveries are projected in the next five years, necessitating upgraded systems to meet growing demands.
This new critical care facility is expected to significantly improve outcomes for mothers and infants, providing timely intervention during emergencies and setting a benchmark in public healthcare services for women.