4 days ago
UP expands critical care with new ICUs in 40 district hospitals
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Lucknow: The UP govt has set up intensive care units (ICUs) in 40 district hospitals across the state providing much-needed relief to critical patients who otherwise had to travel to metropolitans for treatment.
"UP achieved a major milestone by activating Intensive Care Units (ICUs) in 40 district hospitals across the state. The initiative launched 15 months ago significantly improved access to advanced medical treatment for critically ill patients at the local level," an official spokesperson said on Friday.
This, the official said, benefitted more than 2,100 patients who received timely, life-saving care in their home districts.
"Earlier, many district hospitals had the physical infrastructure for ICUs but lacked the trained personnel to operate them. This led to the frequent referral of critical patients to tertiary hospitals in metropolitan areas. To address this gap, the state govt introduced a comprehensive training programme to build local ICU capabilities," they said.
This special initiative, led by Prof Anshul Jain of Maharani Laxmi Bai Medical College, Jhansi—a distinguished expert in critical care—was implemented under the CARE-UP programme.
The training covered key areas, including ventilator management, patient monitoring, infection control and other essential components of critical care. It equipped doctors, nurses and lab technicians with the skills necessary to manage and operate ICUs effectively.
"Critical care training programme will be conducted regularly to ensure healthcare professionals across the state remain up to date with the latest practices and skills in intensive care," said Prof Jain.
"The aim is to make all district hospitals' ICUs fully functional by the end of this year, thereby ensuring comprehensive access to critical care across Uttar Pradesh," he said.
Dr Deepak Kumar Maurya, ICU in-charge at Lokbandhu Hospital, said: "Our 11-bed ICU successfully treated over 150 critically ill patients in just the past month."
He noted that the trained staff is now adept at operating ventilators and other advanced medical equipment, significantly enhancing the quality of care provided. Echoing these sentiments, Dr Abhishek Singh, ICU in-charge at the Civil Hospital, highlighted how the enhanced training boosted their capacity to handle a greater number of patients.
Principal secretary, health and medical education, Parth Sarthi Sen Sharma said: "ICUs are actively functioning in district hospitals enabling patients to access advanced care locally.
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