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Asiri
Hospitals sets up Neonatal
Intensive Care Unit
They
named her Nafisa- meaning precious. For the Rifki family, nothing
was more precious than saving their baby daughter who was born preterm
at 26 weeks. Their world turned upside down when Mrs Rifki went
into labour ‘for no known reason’ and delivered a 960
gram baby who was barely larger than her palm.
However, despite the odds, baby Nafisa, her parents and her team
of doctors and nurses at the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU)
of ASIRI hospitals fought their individual battles and today, Nafisa
is a healthy 10 month old.
Nafisa is one of many who have successfully been cared for through
the difficulties of premature birth at the NICU of the ASIRI Group
of Hospitals situated at Kirimandala Mawatha. Considered Sri Lanka’s
most technologically advanced hospital, ASIRI Hospital’s NICU
is the best equipped in the country.
According to Dr. Menik Gunewardena, Consultant Paediatrician and
Neonatologist at ASIRI, the NICU is equipped to provide some of
the most comprehensive multidisciplinary care for critically ill
neonates and infants. ASIRI’s NICU specialists not only provide
the most advanced life-saving treatments for your baby, but also
do so in the gentlest and caring manner, taking every step possible
to ensure your baby’s comfort.
The NICU staffs full-time neonatologists (doctors who specialize
in the care of sick newborns) and neonatal nurse practitioners.
“These specialists are on site 24-hours a day, 7-days a week,
so they can respond immediately to your baby’s needs at any
time of the day or night,” she said.
Having previously worked in the UK, Dr. Nalinda Rodrigo, Consultant
Obstetrician and Gynaecologist says that this NICU is comparable
to any found in the UK. He added that the NICU is equipped to handle
fetal surgery and Intranterine foetal surgery following international
standards and procedures.
“Due to the referral base, patients can be transported from
other hospitals to the ASIRI NICU in a special transport incubator,”
says Dr Rodrigo. “Our close collaboration is just one more
way of ensuring the highest level of care to our critically ill
neonates,” he added.
Thereafter,
to enable parents to feel comfortable with their baby’s doctor,
the same physician will care for the baby until discharge.
With 12 Incubators and Open Care systems, ASIRI’s NICU usually
cares for up to six babies at a time. “We try to minimise the
number due to the concentrated care needed for each baby,”
said Dr. Gunewardena.
In addition, the NICU has special facilities such as: SLE 4000/5000
Ventilators for breathing support, the Continuous Positive Airway
Pressure machine for air sac support, and the Blood gas Machine
which is used monitor blood electrolytes, haematocrit and sugar
levels.
The sophisticated Omnibed is used for extremely sick babies to minimise
disturbance during care. The Omnibed also acts as a humidifier to
prevent water loss and has a rotatable mattress, x ray plate inserter
and a spot phototheraphy unit. The Neopuff Infant Resuscitator is
the only one in the country and protects against lung trauma with
the ability to monitor according to maturity and weight. Transilluminators,
Scan machines and parenteral nutrition are also available to ensure
the best care for these neonates.
Surfactant, the life saving drug used to for preterm babies is always
available at the NICU. In keeping with the most modern procedures,
the ‘hand wash’ system is strictly adhered to by the staff
and visitors. Widely used as the best method to ward off cross contamination,
the no-touch soap system automatically dispenses the right amount
of soap for thorough cleansing.
ASIRI hospitals have also taken care to provide compassionate and
family centred care for anxious parents with appropriate waiting
room facilities.
A
waiting room is situated right next to the NICU and parents are
compelled to strictly adhere to procedures to ensure cleanliness
and prevent infection. “I have the utmost faith and praise
for the fantastic team and care at ASIRI,” said the grateful
Mr. Rifki.
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