Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Jan 11: The Government Medical College (GMC) Srinagar today stated that the neonatal mortality rate (NMR) at Lal Ded Hospital is significantly lower than the national average.
In a handout issued here, a GMC spokesman said that for the year 2024, the NMR at the hospital stands at 9.9 per 1000, “which is significantly lower than the national average.”
He stressed that the neonatal mortality rate at LD cannot be used as an index of neonatal mortality in society.
GMC authorities further explained that the neonatal mortality rate has not risen “but, in fact, has been effectively contained through advanced treatment methods.”
These improvements have ensured that the rate remains well below the national average, demonstrating the hospital’s success in providing high-quality care the spokesman said.
During 2024, as per the handout, LD Hospital attended a total of 221,163 outpatients (OPD), with 37,908 inpatient (IPD) admissions and 29,939 live births. Additionally, 3,107 neonatal IPD admissions were recorded.
“Out of these neonatal admissions, 297 deaths occurred, resulting in a neonatal mortality rate of 9.9 per 1000, which is lower than the national neonatal mortality rate, which currently ranges from 17 to 21 per 1000 live births,” he added.
The GMC authorities stated that patients requiring termination of pregnancies for maternal reasons or different fetal conditions, such as decreased blood flow to the fetus, are also referred to LD Hospital “which increases neonatal admissions and mortality.”
However, GMC maintained that, considering all the facts and the advanced healthcare system in place, the neonatal mortality rate remains below the national average.
He emphasized that various measures have been implemented to reduce the neonatal mortality rate in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU).
“These include the round-the-clock availability of doctors and paramedics, the provision of high-end equipment such as ventilators, CPAP machines, and warmers, as well as the free availability of life-saving medications like surfactants,” he said.
The hospital ensures consistent support for oxygen supply, including an oxygen plant that provides adequate pressure for ventilators and CPAP machines, he added.
LD Hospital, with its 710 beds, is the primary maternity and neonatal care center for the region, serving not only the valley but also districts such as Ramban, Doda, Rajouri, and Kishtwar, as well as the Union Territory of Ladakh.
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