The Department of Pediatrics, Safdarjang Hospital, New Delhi, 1950-2020

ABSTRACT

The paper attempts to capture the development of the Department of Pediatrics, Safdarjang Hospital, New Delhi, from a historical perspective in its founding years in late 1950s, showing the progress from its nascent state as a part of adult medicine to a full-fledged independent department with state-of-the-art advances in the 2020s. From an ordinary Pediatrics Department, it was reorganized radically to expand clinical facilities as well as education and research by innovative methods, developing subspecialties including an upgradation of the neonatology division, simultaneously establishing linkages with community level centres. The pioneering workshops for training obstetricians and pediatricians paved the way for initiation of multiple such national workshops across the country, by the Government of India, for establishment of neonatal care units countrywide. It was instrumental in the formulation of ‘Essential Newborn Care’ as the first national newborn care program and later a new concept of ‘Mother and Neonatal Care Unit (M-NICU)’ for perinatal care, apart from many other contributions for shaping national policies.