New sickle cell anaemia & critical care centres to be opened in KGH

King George Hospital (KGH) in Visakhapatnam is set to expand its healthcare services with two major upcoming facilities – a genetic testing centre for sickle cell anemia and a state-of-the-art critical care block.

The central government’s tribal welfare department has approved the establishment of a dedicated testing centre for sickle cell anemia, with an investment of Rs 4 crore. The facility, expected to be ready within the next three months, is being hailed by child rights organisations as a much-needed step toward improving healthcare access. For thousands of tribal children across the Alluri Sitarama Raju (ASR) district and other parts of north Andhra, the centre will provide vital diagnostic support that has long been lacking.

Alongside the sickle cell anemia centre, KGH in Visakhapatnam is preparing to commission a new critical care block, constructed at a cost of Rs 23.75 crore opposite the hospital mortuary. An additional Rs 7.12 crore has been allocated for advanced medical equipment, with the procurement process already in its final stages. The block is likely to be made operational by October.

Designed to strengthen emergency response, the new unit will house a 50-bed critical care ward and dedicate three floors exclusively to ICU services. Once functional, all existing ICU units at KGH will be shifted to this block. Patients admitted in critical condition, including those with heart attacks, severe trauma, and respiratory failure, will be treated here under round-the-clock supervision of specialised doctors and trained staff.

To match global standards, the facility will be equipped with high-end ventilators, monitoring systems, testing machines, and other ICU essentials. Health officials have assured that expert medical teams will be appointed to provide uninterrupted care.

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