It is a tertiary referral center for children under the age of 18 who have medical or surgical problems, with the goal of becoming a center of excellence in tertiary child health care, medical education, and research.

Core Functions

Service:

The department provides specialized care for children with referred medical and surgical cases.

Teaching:

Paediatricians and child health specialists in the department teach undergraduate medical students. Paediatric post-graduates and nursing students are also trained in the department. 

Research:

The Paediatric Sub-BMC provides an ideal setting for medical research. There is a wealth of clinical data for research in paediatric oncology, asthma, neonatology, nutrition, sickle cell disease, infectious diseases, and other fields.

The department also serves as a hub for collaborative research with other departments of the Hospital, the Ministry of Health, and the University for Development Studies.

Clinical Units

The main units of the department include the following.

1.PAEDIATRIC OUTPATIENT CLINIC (OPD)

The Outpatients’ Department (OPD) is the first point of call for all patients referred to the department. This is also divided into the acute care outpatient department and the specialty clinics.

2.CHILDREN EMERGENCY WARD (C.E.W)

The Emergency Room is the ward in which critically ill children who require intervention or admission are stabilized before being admitted to the wards.

3.MAIN CHILDREN’S WARD

The General Paediatric Ward consist of both medical and surgical wards.  

4. NEONATAL INTENSIVE CARE UNIT (NICU)

Premature and sick newborn term babies are admitted to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU).

5. PAEDIATRIC ONCOLOGY UNIT

The Paediatric Oncology Unit (POU) is divided into two sections: an inpatient Paediatric Oncology Ward and an outpatient Paediatric Oncology Day Care Unit. The Oncology Ward has a bed capacity of 6 and admits between 28 day and12 year new childhood cancer cases each year.

NUTRITION UNIT

• The nutrition unit of the paediatric sub-BMC offer the following services.
• In-patient management of severe acute malnutrition.
• Out patience management of severe acute malnutrition.
• Prevention and management of anemia in pregnancy.
• Support for early initiation of breastfeeding.
• Counselling on appropriate infant and young child feeding practices.
• Nutrition counseling for pregnant women.
• Support for the nutrition care of preterm and low birth weight children.
• Management of moderate acute malnutrition.
• General nutrition education and counseling.
• Growth monitoring and promotion.
• Vitamin A supplementation.

6.SPECIALIST CLINICS

A.   GENERAL PAEDIATRIC

B.    PAEDIATRIC SICKLE CELL CLINIC

C.    PRETERM FOLLOW-UP

D.    NICU CLINIC

E.    CARDIO-RESPIRATORY CLINIC

7. KANGAROO MOTHER CARE (KMC) UNIT

8. CRITICAL CARE UNIT

9. BABIES UNIT