Good Samaritan doctor saves three lives by shifting them to Bhadrachalam hospital

Doing one’s professional duty is one thing. But going beyond, and lending a shoulder to the needy is something else. A government doctor ensured timely medical help to a tribal woman suffering from postpartum haemorrhage (heavy bleeding after childbirth) and her new-born male twins with low-birth weight in Ralla Cheluka, a remote village in Palvancha mandal, on Wednesday.

Dr. L. Rambabu, Medical Officer at the Primary Health Centre (PHC) in Ulvanoor, helped carry Sukki, the 22-year-old Gutti Koya tribal woman and her twin babies in a ‘doli’ (makeshift stretcher) to the nearest road point, almost five km away, along with her family members. From there, the trio were shifted to the Government area hospital in Bhadrachalam town in a 108 ambulance.

The incident, which occurred on the eve of Independence Day also brought into sharp focus the lack of road connectivity in several remote tribal habitations. This has also made it imperative for the introduction of feeder ambulances to cater to the healthcare needs of people living in far-flung forest areas.

As the story goes, Dr. Rambabu rushed to Ralla Cheluka along with Dr. Narendar, running Indigenous Development Organisation (IDO), an NGO, on hearing that a tribal woman delivered two low-weight babies at her home on Wednesday morning.

“I found the tribal woman lying in hypovolemic condition (decreased blood volume or diminished body fluid) with postpartum haemorrhage along with her new-born twin babies weighing 2 kg and 1.75 kg each. As chances of the twin babies developing infection and sepsis due to unhygienic conditions and cutting the umbilical cord in septic environment were high, we, along with the family members carried the trio to the road point at Mamidigudem on a doli and shifted them to the government hospital in Bhadrachalam,” he recalled.

The condition of the woman stabilised after blood transfusion and the twins are receiving expert care at the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at the Government hospital in the temple town, Dr. Rambabu added.

Feeder ambulances

In fact, a plan is on the anvil to introduce feeder ambulances in Mulakalapalli, Gundala and other Agency mandals to ensure emergency medical care to the needy patients in interior areas tucked away in the forests, according to Dr. Vinod, Administrative Officer, Office of the DM&HO, Kothagudem. Following the initiative of District Collector Rajat Kumar Saini, a proposal has been submitted to the government for sanction of five feeder ambulances to the district.

“A feeder ambulance is a motorcycle with a large box attached to it with a cushioned semi-sleeper facility helps in shifting persons in need of emergency medical care from remote villages to the nearby PHCs under the supervision of trained paramedics,” Dr. Vinod added.

Mrs. Sukki’s ordeal only makes the case for a response quicker than a doli, stronger.