RSRM hospital in Royapuram reports nil maternal deaths in nine of the past 10 months

Catering to a large segment of pregnant women in north Chennai, the 143-year-old Government Raja Sir Ramaswamy Mudaliar (RSRM) Lying-in Hospital, Royapuram, has recorded nil maternal deaths for nine out of the past 10 months. With most of them being high-risk pregnant women, a multidisciplinary team approach, standardised protocol of treatment, and improved infrastructure has helped in reducing maternal deaths to a large extent, say doctors.

The 550-bed facility receives pregnant women from the five zones of north Chennai – Tiruvottiyur, Manali, Madhavaram, Tondiarpet, and Royapuram – and parts of Minjur, Ponneri, and the border districts of Andhra Pradesh. On an average, it receives 370 outpatients and admits nearly 500 women a day. The hospital conducts nearly 11,000 deliveries in a year.

“There are Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) hospitals, primary health centres, and health sub-centres in these areas. Most of these facilities conduct deliveries including Caesarean sections. They are instructed to immediately refer high-risk pregnancies to RSRM Hospital. So, most of the pregnant women coming to us are in the high-risk category, which includes those with cardiac diseases, high blood pressure, seizures, diabetes, and repeated abortions,” said Shanthi K. Elango, Superintendent of Government RSRM Lying-in Hospital.

When doctors receive a high-risk pregnant woman, they see to it that the standard protocols are followed, she said, adding: “They routinely perform the indicated tests, get specialist consultation/opinion from other departments, and follow the standardised protocol of treatment.”

A multidisciplinary approach is what has helped doctors to save many lives. “We get all the specialists from the Government Stanley Medical College Hospital. We are provided with the latest infrastructure, including high-end equipment. These factors along with dedicated team efforts have helped us record nil maternal deaths from November 2022 to August 2023, save for March,” Dr. Shanthi said. She added babies born at the hospital are treated well, as a result RSRM hospital accounted for the lowest newborn death rate in the State.

In 2021, the hospital set up a 10-bedded Intensive Care Unit, which is equipped on a par with a private hospital. Each bed has its own set of equipment, including monitors, probes, and ventilators, she said. In July 2023, the hospital received LaQshya (Labour Room Quality Improvement Initiative) certification. To provide better care, a new building is coming up on the premises, which will add another 300 beds.