Thiruvananthapuram: Five hundred kilometers and an ambulance with a newborn in a critical condition inside. The real-life drama unfolded on Kerala’s roads resembled the scenes that Malayalis witnessed in the movie ‘Traffic’.
The intense tension of six-and-a-half hours ended in a happy note around 3.30 am of Thursday, when the ambulance carrying Fathima, all of 57 days, safely reached the Sree Chitra hospital in Thiruvananthapuram from Pariyaram Medical College in Kannur district.
Driver Thameem stopped the ambulance just once in Kozhikode for 10 minutes, to feed the child and refuel the vehicle.
Some four dozen pilot vehicles, thousands of WhatsApp messages and one prayer made it possible, even as Fathima, daughter of Siraj and Ayisha from Kasargod, fought for her life inside the ambulance.
This is probably the longest distance a patient in a critical condition had ever been carried by road in Kerala.
Nurse Jinro had ended the day’s duty and was about to leave when he was told about the condition of the child. Fathima needed an emergency surgery and that had to be carried out at Sree Chitra in the capital.
Thameem, a native of Paravanadukkam in Kasargod, and Jinro decided to take up the task of taking her to Thiruvananthapuram despite knowing the risks.
Police as well as members of the Ambulance Drivers’ Association and Blood Donors Association-Kerala made arrangements for the trip, recreating scenes similar to those in Traffic, the movie.
Volunteers cleared the roads through the journey route. Messages had also been given to all police stations along the route.
The Child Protect Team Kerala updated the ambulance’s movement minute-by-minute on its WhatsApp group. A police pilot vehicle escorted the ambulance carrying the child, while other ambulances including ICU units followed it. There was strict order against other vehicles accompanying the ambulance.
All through the route, people gathered on the roadside and waved hands at the ambulance as it passed by.
The child is still in a critical stage. Doctors may carry out the surgery on Friday if there is an improvement in her condition.
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