No Newborn Child Will Be Deprived of Medical Care: Health Minister Aarti Singh Rao

Chandigarh, December 17: Haryana Health Minister Aarti Singh Rao on Tuesday said that newborn children from poor families will not be deprived of medical facilities, asserting that the state government is committed to ensuring good health for every citizen, from children to the elderly. She said a 28-bed Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) has been made operational in the Paediatrics Department of PGIMS Rohtak, which will significantly benefit economically weaker sections.

The health minister said that earlier, newborns delivered outside PGIMS who required intensive care often faced serious difficulties due to the absence of ICU facilities for external births. As a result, newborns and their families had to endure considerable hardship. For several years, there had been a long-standing demand for a dedicated ICU facility for such newborns at PGIMS Rohtak.

She said patients from across Haryana come to PGIMS, and keeping the interests of poor patients in mind, the state government has developed a modern, fully equipped ICU. With its inauguration, the facility has now been dedicated to the care of critically ill newborns.

Aarti Singh Rao explained that premature babies often have low birth weight and face breathing difficulties, making neonatal ICU care essential. With the launch of this facility, critically ill newborns will no longer have to depend on private hospitals or travel to other cities for treatment. She added that earlier, the limited availability of NICU beds created challenges in admitting infants below one month of age. Now, this advanced ward equipped with modern machines will provide immediate and improved medical care.

PGIMS Rohtak Vice-Chancellor Dr H.K. Aggarwal, after inaugurating the 28-bed NICU, said the unit has been equipped with all state-of-the-art medical machines. He expressed gratitude to Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini and Health Minister Aarti Singh Rao for their support.

Dr Aggarwal said that nearly 200 newborns requiring ICU care arrive at the emergency department every month. With the NICU becoming operational, a significant improvement in the state’s neonatal mortality rate is expected, which he described as a major step towards national development.