Meera works in a corporate teaching hospital, but is able to provide help for the poor patients who come to her PICU. She has been working hard to help the needy and is looking for help. Whatever help we could provide will depend on the the contributions we receive. Once we start the bank account, I will send in the information.
Meera has a clear picture of her needs in this endeavour. Please read her letter she usually sends to her sponsors. In time, I think we will be able to help Meera with contributions, but she reports that any equipment or near expiration date devices(like CVP lines , LMA ) would be put to good use. If anyone has any other ideas or venues to raise money , please comment.
Meera has been able to raise a third of the required amount on her own. Any fund she raises will be matched by the management.
Part1 is the letter and Part 2 will be the next blog entry with a couple of cases from her PICU.
PART - 1 Meera's Letter (Unedited)
Although I work in a corporate hospital,the Management has always let me take care of poor patients. In my earlier stay in India,I was fortunate to have Rohini Nilekani sponsor all my needy patients.
However now she is sponsoring some other venture & I am looking for sponsors to help us have 3 free beds in the ICU -ie 1095 patient days .
About our ICU:
PICU is a 8 bedded unit (becoming a 10 bedded unit next month) which provides care for patients from 1 month to 17 years of age. They suffer from varying illness such as cancer, trauma, liver failure, kidney failure, sepsis , ARDS etc . We have about 550 admissions/year .
The ICU mortality is 6%. If we discount the mortality within the first 24 hours it fall down to about 3% . Most patients are referred to us in extremis. It is very gratifying to see patients do well despite various limitations. (We have Conventional ventilators-Servo-i ,HFO- Sensor Medics,CVVHD, Plasmapharesis etc)
I have doctors and nurses to assist me so that as a team we strive to provide excellent care .We have paediatric Critical Care Fellowship which is recognised by National Board. (We are one of the 3 programs in the country to have a FNB)
The main limitation that we find in our ongoing care is the financial part. Even to run a not for profit organization we need funds. Since all admissions to the PICU are an emergency the family is emotionally and financially ill prepared for the same. Further more parents of most of the children are young and do not have any savings to fall back on. Most do not have insurance and have to choose between an ICU like ours where the care and support is state of the art but unaffordable and government hospitals .In a country like ours I don't think the government can spend on ICU care. However it does not mean it is not important .
The following is the financial details of our ICU
Average cost of care in the PICU for a ventilated patient - Rs 15,000/day
Average cost of care in the PICU for an unventilated patient - Rs 7,000/day
Average cost includes – Bed charges, Oxygen charges, investigations, Procedure and Consultation charges and Ventilator charges (for ventilated patients).
The hospital has agreed to waive off the Bed charges and Procedure and Consultation charges. It has further agreed to provide a 50% concession in Oxygen, Ventilation and Lab charges. This will result in a concessional rate of Rs 7,000/day for ventilated patients and Rs. 3,500/day for unventilated patients admitted under this arrangement. For most families even this is a huge amount and hence to make care completely free except for medicines we need to raise about Rs 75,00,000.(Assuming all the patients need ventilation )
Any fund that will be raised by the employees of the organisation will be matched by Manipal Foundation (NGO arm of the organisation)
I assure you your faith will not be misplaced. Your help will not only help these patients but will help me to train junior staff as well . We are starting Critical care nursing as well from Jan .Proper education is the only way forward .
regards
Meera
Photo Caption - fruits of labour
