Latest news with #NishantBanait
Time of India
5 days ago
- Health
- Time of India
AIIMS-Nagpur doctors keep ‘digital eye' on newborns in Melghat
1 2 3 Nagpur: Melghat, a forested area in Amravati district known for its scenic beauty, has long struggled with grim statistics when it comes to child health. Difficult terrain, poor access and limited trained staff contributed to a history of high infant mortality. But the tide is turning. Now, newborns from remote tribal areas are being saved under an initiative that doesn't even require physical presence of doctors. The result? A 50% reduction in neonatal mortality, fewer deaths from sepsis, and dramatically better outcomes for very low birth weight babies. Under this initiative, the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS)-Nagpur has pioneered a cutting-edge Tele-Special Newborn Care Unit (Tele-SNCU), set up at the sub-district hospital in Dharni, which connects some of the country's most vulnerable infants with some of its best medical minds through real-time virtual care. Led by neonatologist Dr Nishant Banait of AIIMS-Nagpur and supported by global health organisation PATH, the Tele-SNCU works on a hub-and-spoke telemedicine model. Neonatal specialists at AIIMS-Nagpur conduct virtual rounds using 360-degree cameras, Internet of Things (IoT)-enabled devices, and live dashboards to guide and train local health staff. "This model marks a true paradigm shift in how we deliver care to newborns," said Dr Banait and added, "By combining cutting-edge digital tools with dedicated clinical care, we are not only saving lives but also securing healthier futures for our most vulnerable patients." by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Farmer Is Tired Of People Illegally Parking On His Land And Takes Revenge Novelodge Undo Buoyed by the success in Dharni, AIIMS-Nagpur expanded the initiative to tribal districts like Gadchiroli and Nandurbar, where the team completed detailed assessments of existing newborn care units and launched intensive training programmes for local healthcare providers. Recognising the initiative's transformative impact, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Govt of India, spotlighted AIIMS-Nagpur's Tele-SNCU as one of the "best practices" at a national Conclave of Good Practices held recently. The event, hosted at AIIMS-Nagpur, saw participation from executive directors of AIIMS institutions across the country. "This is not just about treating sick newborns — it's about reimagining healthcare equity in India," said Dr PP Joshi, executive director of AIIMS-Nagpur. "Digital innovations are bridging gaps in access, enabling early diagnosis, and bringing quality healthcare to some of the most underserved communities. Leveraging technology to address health disparities in tribal populations is not just beneficial, it is transformative." AIIMS-Nagpur's commitment to underserved communities is not limited to neonatology. In Gadchiroli, a NIDAN Kendra is being established to screen pregnant women for sickle cell disease and thalassaemia, and test newborns for five key metabolic disorders — potentially a game-changer for genetic disease prevention in tribal regions. In another large-scale success, the Community Medicine Department led by Dr Kalaiselvi S under Dr Pradeep Deshmukh carried out a massive non-communicable disease (NCD) screening drive in Ramtek block, covering 60 villages and screening over 5,000 people. Around 1,750 cases of diabetes and hypertension were detected, with 900 patients opting to shift from private to govt healthcare services — a sign of growing public trust in govt health delivery. In a country where tribal and rural health outcomes often lag far behind urban centres, AIIMS Nagpur's integrated, tech-driven, and outcome-oriented model offers a replicable blueprint for inclusive care. The fusion of telemedicine with grassroots empowerment is showing that distance need not be a death sentence for India's newborns. The initiative stands not just as a beacon of medical excellence, but as a symbol of what public health systems can achieve when innovation, compassion, and equity go hand in hand. # A MODEL WORTH REPLICATING - The sub-district hospital at Dharni is located 144 km away from Amravati, surrounded by hills and forests - Despite having an SNCU at Dharni, is known for a high maternal mortality rate and infant mortality rate (IMR) in Maharashtra - AIIMS' Tele-SNCU is proving to be a good model and will be scaled up soon - AIIMS provides technical and clinical knowledge support - Telemedicine support provided for day-to-day clinical matters - Hands-on training provided to medical and nursing staff - Doctors from AIIMS pay regular visits to this SNCU
Time of India
24-05-2025
- Health
- Time of India
Life-Saving Heart Surgery At AIIMS-Nagpur Saves 900gm Baby
Nagpur: A premature baby girl weighing just 900 gram at birth made a miraculous recovery after undergoing rare and risky heart surgery at just two weeks of age. The baby was one of the twins born at only 26 weeks of pregnancy and was treated at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Nagpur. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Soon after birth, doctors in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) noticed she had a serious heart condition called Patent Ductus Arteriosus (PDA). In simple words, PDA is a small blood vessel in the heart that is supposed to close after birth, but in this baby, it stayed open. This made it very hard for her heart and lungs to work properly. "Her condition was critical," said Dr Nishant Banait. "She couldn't breathe on her own and was completely dependent on a ventilator. Medicines didn't help, so surgery was the only option to save her life," he added. Performing heart surgery on a baby — smaller in size than a loaf of bread — is extremely rare and risky. But a team of experts from AIIMS Nagpur came together and performed the operation, known as PDA ligation, where the open vessel is closed using a surgical method. Doctors said that this baby is possibly the smallest in the entire Vidarbha region to undergo this surgery, making it a historic milestone for neonatal care in central India. Just two days after surgery, she began breathing better and was soon taken off the ventilator. She started feeding well, gained weight, and was finally discharged in stable condition. Currently, she is back home, doing well, and growing stronger with the twin by her side. Dr PP Joshi, executive director of AIIMS Nagpur, said, "This shows the incredible level of care our hospital can provide. It's not just medical success, but a story of courage, skill, and teamwork. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Performing such a complex heart surgery on a 900 gram newborn, and seeing her survive and thrive, is a proud moment for all of us." Dr Seema Parvekar, medical superintendent, congratulated the entire team and called the success a strong reflection of AIIMS Nagpur's commitment to top-quality neonatal care. This rare case proves that with expert hands, modern medical care, and strong teamwork, even the tiniest lives can be saved. Nagpur: A premature baby girl weighing just 900 gram at birth made a miraculous recovery after undergoing rare and risky heart surgery at just two weeks of age. The baby was one of the twins born at only 26 weeks of pregnancy and was treated at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Nagpur. Soon after birth, doctors in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) noticed she had a serious heart condition called Patent Ductus Arteriosus (PDA). In simple words, PDA is a small blood vessel in the heart that is supposed to close after birth, but in this baby, it stayed open. This made it very hard for her heart and lungs to work properly. "Her condition was critical," said Dr Nishant Banait. "She couldn't breathe on her own and was completely dependent on a ventilator. Medicines didn't help, so surgery was the only option to save her life," he added. Performing heart surgery on a baby — smaller in size than a loaf of bread — is extremely rare and risky. But a team of experts from AIIMS Nagpur came together and performed the operation, known as PDA ligation, where the open vessel is closed using a surgical method. Doctors said that this baby is possibly the smallest in the entire Vidarbha region to undergo this surgery, making it a historic milestone for neonatal care in central India. Just two days after surgery, she began breathing better and was soon taken off the ventilator. She started feeding well, gained weight, and was finally discharged in stable condition. Currently, she is back home, doing well, and growing stronger with the twin by her side. Dr PP Joshi, executive director of AIIMS Nagpur, said, "This shows the incredible level of care our hospital can provide. It's not just medical success, but a story of courage, skill, and teamwork. Performing such a complex heart surgery on a 900 gram newborn, and seeing her survive and thrive, is a proud moment for all of us." Dr Seema Parvekar, medical superintendent, congratulated the entire team and called the success a strong reflection of AIIMS Nagpur's commitment to top-quality neonatal care. This rare case proves that with expert hands, modern medical care, and strong teamwork, even the tiniest lives can be saved.
