NEW DELHI: LNJP Hospital has become the first Delhi government hospital to establish a medical genetics department, Chief Minister Rekha Gupta announced on Thursday as she inaugurated the facility.
Besides the genetics ward, Gupta also inaugurated a Lactation Management Unit and Nucleic Acid Amplification Testing (NAT) lab at the state-run hospital. Gupta said the government is consistently working to enhance Delhi’s healthcare system.
“Our goal is to ensure accessible, high-quality, and timely medical services for every citizen -- regardless of age, background, or region. A healthy Delhi is the foundation of a developed Delhi.
With this vision, three highly advanced health services have been launched, setting a new milestone in the city’s medical infrastructure,” she said. Gupta said it is the first Delhi government hospital to establish a medical genetics department. It is the fourth such department among NMC-recognised colleges across India and the second to be linked with a Centre of Excellence for Rare Genetic Disorders, she added.
“This department will provide comprehensive diagnosis, treatment and counselling services to patients with rare and complex genetic disorders. It will also be possible to treat newborn who have serious genetic diseases. Apart from this, the department is capable of providing care from prenatal stages to old age,” she said. Gupta said there are extraordinary machines in the unit that will aid in research on genetic disorders. “I am happy that this department will not only treat genetic diseases but also carry out research on them. By using just a single drop of blood and advanced machines, this unit will also conduct research,” she added.
Gupta said the Lactation Management Unit (LMU) is designed to serve preterm, low-birth-weight, and critically ill new-borns. It will offer breastfeeding counselling, safe milk collection and storage, and hospital-grade breast pumps for mothers. By ensuring the availability of ‘donor human milk’, the unit will help reduce the risk of neonatal sepsis and other complications, she said. To address the chronic shortage of medicines, staff and equipment, the government has already begun taking concrete steps, she said.