Childcare clinics on wheels

From Indian Express

Childcare clinics on wheels
Sunday August 5 2007 10:43 IST

NAGAPATTINAM: The UNICEF has provided two fully equipped childcare vehicles to transport infants during emergency medical situations from primary health centres (PHCs) to larger hospitals in Nagapattinam district.

Handing over the vehicles to Thirupoondi and Thiruvenkadu PHCs in the district, the Collector said that the UNICEF had handed over six such vehicles, worth Rs 18 lakh each to the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister recently and the CM had distributed them to three districts.

The Collector added that the UNICEF had provided the vehicles to enable transportation of infants requiring emergency care from PHCs to larger district hospitals. The vehicles called as

‘‘Neonatal transport units’’ are equipped to stabilise the clinical status of the babies en route. The interiors of the vehicles have been painted with polythene that has bacteria inhibiting property. It is provided with an incubator, a ventilator, a compressor, oxygen cylinders, infusion pump, pulse oxymeter, resuscitation kit and suction pump.

The Collector said the vehicles could function as a full-fledged neonatal intensive care unit. A 24-hour control room had been opened in the collectorate for providing information about the vehicle and people from remote villages could dial the toll-free number of ‘‘105’’