BENGALURU: In the last 14 months, 1,740 babies have been delivered in the State-run 108 Arogya Kavacha emergency response ambulances. This means at least four babies are delivered every day in the ambulances.
“Every month more than 150 babies are delivered in our ambulances. Nearly 35 to 40 per cent of the calls we get are related to pregnancy. We have delivered babies in ambulances not only in remote villages that are far from hospitals but also from urban areas due to terrible roads or traffic-related issues,” explains Mohammed Aasif, Programme Manager - 108 ambulances Bengaluru District.
The free emergency service which is used for various medical emergencies has in its ambulances a ready delivery kit. The Staff Nurse, also known as Emergency Medical Technician (EMT), is compulsorily present in the ambulance. He/she is given training under the General Nursing’s MidWifery course (3.5 years). Interestingly, while the state has more than 1,000 such EMTs, the majority of them are male.According to the statistics available with 108, the districts which have the maximum number of deliveries in the ambulances are Ballari, Raichur and Kalaburagi.
“We receive calls mostly very late, and when the woman goes into intense labour. The deliveries take place on the way to hospitals. But we make sure the new mother and the baby are safe,” said Yogesh, EMT from Bengaluru.
Recalling an incident, Yogesh said, “When Yamuna, 21-year-old domestic help from Nepal, reported labour pain, her husband Sunil found with great difficulty a Kannadiga who could communicate to an 108 ambulance. The ambulance immediately reached her residence. I was about a year and half into this service and tried my best to comfort her. But she was in terrible pain.”
“The hospital was at least 40 minutes away. Considering the traffic situation, I had to conduct the delivery in the ambulance with the assistance of the ambulance pilot (driver). She gave birth to a healthy, beautiful baby girl,” said Yogesh.According to Suresh, an ambulance pilot, in rural areas, there are ASHA workers to help the woman and convince her to go for delivery, even if the EMT is a male. But, in urban areas, it becomes a bit of an issue, he said.
The number of babies delivered in ambulances, according to the health department officials, has reduced infant mortality rate. They, however, say this is not a good trend. “This shows that our medical facilities are not accessible to many. Hospitals located far away, bad PHCs, lack of information about labour pain etc have been the primary reasons for such deliveries. But 108 services and nurses in the ambulances are doing a great job,” said a senior doctor.