A remarkable story of survival and expert neonatal care has emerged from Shalinitai Meghe Mother & Child Hospital, the dedicated maternal and child health centre under the 1020-bedded Shalinitai Meghe Hospital & Research Centre (SMHRC), Wanadongri, Nagpur. A baby born at Gumgoan, Hingna Taluka, arrived at just 26–27 weeks of gestation, weighing only 734 grams, and battled a life-threatening start marked by severe respiratory distress syndrome and sepsis.
From the very first minutes of life, the newborn required intensive interventions including surfactant therapy, CPAP, and 22 days of mechanical ventilation. The situation became even more critical when the baby’s weight dropped to 530 grams in the initial phase. Yet, with the support of SMHRC’s advanced and highly affordable NICU, along with round-the-clock care by a skilled multidisciplinary team, the infant began to show steady improvement.
Gold Rate
27 Oct 2025
The Ophthalmology team successfully managed the baby’s retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) with anti-VEGF injections. Subsequent assessments including OAE, BERA, and neurosonography were normal—signifying a complete recovery with an excellent neurological outlook.
After a prolonged 101-day NICU stay, the baby was discharged in a neurologically intact condition, weighing 1.760 kg—a truly inspiring outcome for such an extremely premature infant. The parents expressed deep gratitude to the entire SMHRC team and the hospital management for their comprehensive, compassionate care.
This extraordinary success was made possible by the dedicated NICU team led by Dr. C. M. Bokade, Head of Department, and supported by NICU Incharge Dr. Kush Jhunjhunwala, Senior Neonatologist Dr. Nilesh Darvhekar, and the committed team of doctors—Dr. Veena Hasnini, Dr. Punam Uke, Dr. Nisha Aglave, Dr. Heena Bhandekar, Dr. Ashwin Meshram, Dr. Ishani Arora, Dr. Harsha Sonak, Dr. Parthiv, Dr. Deeksh, Dr. Shubham, Dr. Shalini, and Dr. Saurabh. The unwavering care provided by the NICU nursing team—Sr. Aradhana (NICU I/C), Sr. Priti, Sr. Zode, and Br. Hritik—played an equally vital role in the baby’s survival and smooth recovery.
Reflecting on the journey, Dr. Kush Jhunjhunwala, NICU Incharge, shared, “Managing an extremely premature baby weighing just 734 grams is always a tremendous medical challenge. This baby fought bravely from the very beginning, and our entire NICU team worked tirelessly to provide comprehensive, round-the-clock care.”
Dr. Nilesh Darvhekar, Senior Neonatologist, added, “The successful recovery after 101 days reflects coordinated teamwork, evidence-based neonatal practices, and the advanced yet affordable NICU facilities at SMHRC. Seeing the baby go home neurologically intact is the greatest reward for us all.”
Dr. Anup Marar, Director, Nagpur Campus, DMIHER (DU), appreciated the team’s relentless commitment, stating that such outcomes reflect the hospital’s dedication to delivering high-quality, affordable NICU care even for the most critical newborns. He emphasized that SMHRC’s highly subsidised NICU—shaped by DMIHER (DU)’s principle that charitable activities must remain free of commercial motives—ensures access to world-class neonatal services for families from all socioeconomic backgrounds, giving every newborn a fighting chance at life.
