The department of pediatrics was established in the year 1965. It is one of the oldest department of this institute, which was earlier a part of medicine. In 1967 it became an independent department. With its establishment the students were revealed from the pain of going to Sadar Hospital Ranchi for their clinical training.
Dr. Thakur Baijnath Prasad, MD FRCP, DCH (London) was the founder of this department; with its first resident medical officer Dr. Abu Raihman. The department went under radical development and by the year 1979, it had a separate emergency.
The department was later headed by Dr. R.P. Sinha, Dr. R.Z. Bajaj, Dr. S.N. Gupta, Dr. Ram Udav Sinha, Dr. Manoranjan Sahay and presently by Dr. A.K. Sharma.
Presently the department is known as department of Pediatrics and Neonatology since 15.06.2007. It is being run under the leadership of Dr. Arun Kumar Choudhary. He has a dedicated team of 56 doctors which includes 2 Professors, 3 Associate Professors, 4 Assistant Professors, 4 Senior Resident, 1 Registrar, 42 post graduate trainees and 1 clerical staff Mr. Ratan.
Being a major clinical branch of medical study the department successfully meets the teaching requirements of both undergraduate and postgraduate students. All PG seats (6 MD and 8 DCH) are recognized by MCI.
The department functions mainly in three wings.
Functions 6 days in a week (Sunday is a Holiday) from 9:00 am to 01:00pm and 03:00pm to 05:00pm. The monthly attendance of the patient is on the rise with > 3000 patients per month.
A team of senior consultants with Senior Residents, post Graduate students, registrar, and supporting staff attend to the patients.
Additional facility in the OPD includes a Vaccination Centre and a Child counsellor.
Located on the top most floor (4th floor) of the hospital building, next to the department of gynaecology and obstetrics. There are 3 units and 2 subunits with100 beds in pediatrics and 34 exclusively for the newborn. There is well developed neonatal ICU (NICU) and 1 Special care newborn Unit (SCNU) with the facility of CPAP Ventilators and ABG machine etc.
Side room pathologist with lab technician is available in the department.
Patients are admitted through OPD and Emergency. Admission of neonates as well as children is high, approx. 500 newborn and 200 pediatrics per month.
Varieties of patients are treated here with diarrhea during summer and monsoon, pneumonia during winter and malnutrition in spring and early summer being most common. Complicated malaria is prevented throughout the year. The department tries its level best to deal with each and every case with utmost sincerity and efficiency. The doctors make their ward rounds during morning 9:00 am to 01:00 pm and 05:00 pm to 06:00 pm in the evening.
The patients are provided with all basic facilities e.g. antibiotics, iv fluids.
Records of register and BHTs are properly maintained in the MRD section.
It runs round the clock. The sick patient is immediately attended and provided appropriate treatment under the supervision of senior residents and POCs.
Under the supervision of the nursing staff, cleaning of the wards, toilets and waste disposal is done by 4th grade staff and outsourcing agency.
Attempts have been made to make the department child friendly with cartoon characters is indeed a pleasure. The atmosphere aids in quick recovery of ailing children.
Outsourcing agency is providing security services in the OPD/indoor-both male as well as female guards have been posted to manage crisis situations efficiently.
Pediatrics is one of the essential streams of medical sciences and is a separate subject in the Final M.B.B.S, hence a good grasp over this subject is essential in making of a good doctor.
Thus the department has the provisions of clinical cases for Undergraduates, regular bedside teaching along with tutorials and theory classes.
The department has recognition from the MCI for postgraduate courses (6 MD and 8 DCH) in one academic session since 1981.
Genetic wing started functioning as a OPD facility in the department of Pediatrics since 2011. It basically started as Genetic Diseases Research department with focus on research and treatment of selected conditions.
A focused approach on Hemoglobinopathies(congenital hemolytic anemia) has been undertaken. The patients suffering from different genetic diseases are admitted under the care of Dr. Amar Verma in Pediatrics dept. currently.
The department has also had a research collaboration with national Institute of Malaria Research, a wing of ICMR, Govt. of India and currently clinical trial and two proposals for collaboration with Indian Council of Medical research (ICMR) and National Institute of Malarial research (NIMR) are under way. Process of installation of Cytogenetic work station for Chromosomal Isolation and mutation study will become functional soon. Projects sanctioned by RNTCP-WHO and allotment made by GOJ letter no. 600 st 18.1.2010.
