PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has decided to establish two units for newborn children confronted by serious diseases in two districts.

The sick newborn care units will be set up in the district and tehsil headquarters hospitals of Lakki Marwaat and Charsadda. The district health officers of concerned districts have been directed to provide space in the said hospitals for establishment of newborn children care units.

Data shows that 42 out of every 1,000 children in the country die of different dangerous but curable diseases in Pakistan. Although the death ratio of children has been controlled to some extent, but the ratio of infant deaths within one month of birth remains the same, which is a cause of major concern for the health authorities. For this purpose, baby clinics are also being established in Charsadda, Lakki Marwat, Swat and Mohmand districts.

Sources in the Health Department said children with hepatitis-B, diabetes, respiratory problems, low weight and other serous problems after birth will be kept at the sick newborn care units to provide them best medical care on emergency basis. The sources said the KP government has already selected District Headquarters Hospital Charsadda, City Hospital Lakki Marwat and Tehsil Headquarters Hospital Matta, Swat, for establishing such units.

Two pediatricians, four medical officers, medical staff and trained nurses will be provided for every child care unit. The staff of the children units will be provided special training for which necessary documentation is being finalized. Every child care unit will be headed by a trained pediatrician. There will be three levels of children units where monitoring devices, oxygen masks, procedures, surgeries, requisition and exchange transfusion facilities will be provided according to the condition of the admitted children. The portable X-ray and laboratory facilities will also be provided at child units.

The US aid institution JSI Research will fund all the expenses for the child care units. JSI is a public health care and health systems consultants and researchers driven by a passion to improve health services and outcomes for all. Its fundamental goal is to ensure that all individuals can live their best and healthiest life, regardless of age or circumstances.