‘Grant of environment clearance’ clears decks for Critical Care Block project at PGI: official

The 150-bed Critical Care Block will come up on a vacant plot opposite the School of Nursing on the PGI campus. Once operational, it will allow treatment of critically ill and infectious disease patients under one roof, significantly enhancing the institute’s emergency response capacity.

“The project was conceptualised during the Covid-19 pandemic, when the institute faced an unprecedented surge of critically ill patients. At the time, several departments and the Nehru Extension Block had to be converted into Covid-19 care facilities to manage the crisis,” Rai said.

The spokesperson said the Critical Care Block would function as a multispeciality centre equipped with intensive care units (ICUs), step-down units (SDUs), isolation wards, oxygen-supported beds and surgical units, and also include two labour rooms, delivery and recovery rooms, and a dedicated unit for neonatal care and related conditions.

At present, two major projects, the Neurosciences Centre and the Mother and Child Care Centre, are expected to be operational this year, according to the spokesman. Work on both projects had been delayed due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

According to Rai, “The Critical Care Block is a strategically important project for the institute and has been under planning for a considerable time. The facility is expected to significantly benefit patients requiring specialised and intensive care.”

Once functional, the new Critical Care Block will cater to patients requiring intensive monitoring and advanced life support, including those arriving at the emergency and trauma centres in critical condition. Experts believe that in the event of a future pandemic or similar public health emergency, the facility will play a crucial role in managing patient load efficiently.

Hospital officials said that patients from any department who require advanced critical care and close monitoring will be referred to this block, allowing other clinical areas to function more effectively.