UP govt prioritizes critical care in health infrastructure

Over the past eight years, the Uttar Pradesh government has made significant strides in strengthening state’s health infrastructure, particularly in the domain of critical care.

A major milestone in this journey has been the activation of Intensive Care Units (ICUs) in 40 district hospitals across the state. The initiative, launched approximately 15 months ago, has significantly improved access to advanced medical treatment for critically ill patients at the local level.

Advertisement

As a result of this transformative effort, more than 2,100 patients have received timely, life-saving care in their districts, bringing much-needed relief to families who would otherwise be forced to travel to Lucknow or Delhi, both financially and emotionally.

Earlier, many district hospitals had the physical infrastructure for ICUs, but lacked the trained personnel to operate them effectively. This led to the frequent referral of critical patients to tertiary hospitals in metropolitan areas. To address this gap, the state government introduced a comprehensive training program to build local ICU capabilities.

This special initiative, led by Professor 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 across districts with the skills necessary to manage and operate ICUs effectively.

Officials here on Friday said, “Today, fully operational ICUs are not only providing critical services in several hospitals in Lucknow, including Balrampur Hospital, Civil Hospital, Rani Laxmibai Hospital, Lokbandhu Hospital, and Ram Sagar Mishra Hospital, but also across numerous districts like Barabanki, Ayodhya, Sitapur, Unnao, Kanpur Nagar, Varanasi, Prayagraj, Ambedkar Nagar, Ballia, Azamgarh, Mau, Gorakhpur, and Basti.”

Professor Anshul Jain emphasized that the 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. He said, “The ultimate 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.

Dr. Deepak Kumar Maurya, ICU in-charge at Lokbandhu Hospital, shared that their 11-bed ICU has 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 has boosted their capacity to handle a greater number of patients. He added, “The improved skill sets of the medical staff have led to a steady increase in the number of critical cases being treated locally, ensuring that more patients receive timely and effective care.”

Principal Secretary, Health and Medical Education, Parth Sarthi Sen Sharma, stated that the training programme was designed to equip doctors, nurses, and paramedical staff of district hospitals with proficiency in using ventilators and other modern medical technologies. He affirmed that this vision is now bearing fruit.

He added, “ICUs are actively functioning in district hospitals across eastern to western Uttar Pradesh, enabling patients to access advanced care locally. This not only improves health outcomes but also significantly reduces the financial burden on families who previously had to travel to bigger cities for such treatment.”