The neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) at GB Pant Hospital in Agartala has achieved a remarkable feat by saving the life of a premature infant born at just seven months, weighing only 670 grams, below the average for this stage of pregnancy. Due to serious health issues, the baby was immediately moved to GB Pant after being born at Kulai District Hospital in Dhalai.
After arriving at GB Pant Hospital, the NICU team, led by Dr. Bibhas Das, started feeding the baby using expressed breast milk. As the baby got stronger, they gradually increased the feeding. Now, the baby has fully recovered, weighs 1.6 kg, and has been sent home with mother Tania Begum.
Dr. Anup Kumar Saha, Principal of Agartala Government Medical College, praised the achievement as a milestone for Tripura’s healthcare system. Although it is improving, our healthcare system is still not up to par with Japan, which has successfully preserved an infant weighing as low as 238 grams, he said.
Senior gynecologist Dr. Jayanta Roy stated that it was very challenging because of the mother’s history of miscarriages. “Advances in medical care, including the use of steroids to support brain development and lung function, have been crucial in ensuring the baby’s survival.”
The Janani Shishu Suraksha Karyakram, funded by the state government, made sure that the family could afford the essential medical care. The mother, Tania Begum, and her husband, Saiyed Ahmed, an Islamic cleric, expressed their heartfelt gratitude to the entire medical team at GB Pant Hospital for their tireless efforts in saving their child’s life.
