Mumbai NICU Beds Full: Nurse Shortage Stalls Expansion

Mumbai's plan to enhance NICU capacity in its four main civic hospitals has been stalled by a severe lack of trained nurses. The civic health committee decided on June 11 to double the available Neonatal Intensive Care Unit beds, but this expansion is contingent on hiring specialized nursing staff.

The city currently operates with 154 NICU beds across Sion, Nair, Cooper, and KEM hospitals, supported by a team of 87 nurses. Demand for these critical care beds consistently surpasses availability, forcing medical staff to create temporary cradles to accommodate more newborns. This situation is exacerbated by cases from the wider Mumbai Metropolitan Region, as peripheral hospitals lack the necessary infrastructure for complex neonatal care.

Neonatologists note a steep rise in the need for intensive newborn care, with nearly one in five deliveries now requiring NICU admission, compared to one in ten previously. Factors contributing to this include an increase in high-risk pregnancies, higher C-section rates, and the ability to save extremely premature infants. The public healthcare system faces particular pressure from mothers with severe health issues, resulting in preterm and growth-restricted babies needing specialized care.