Two nurses go beyond call of duty, successfully deliver a baby on a moving train
Despite the lack of medical equipment on board, nurses Shashikala and Veena helped Manamma deliver a baby safely while travelling by train.
One can never predict a medical emergency. The best an individual can do is be prepared. One such incident took place when nine-month pregnant Manamma suddenly went into labour one night while travelling by train.
Twenty-two-year-old Manamma was travelling with her husband Gundaiah (29) from Bengaluru on the Yeshwantpur-Bidar Express, when her labour started and she had no immediate help on board. Fortunately, two nurses - Shashikala Bheemrao and Veena Vasanth - from Bidar Institute of Medical Sciences (BRIMS), were among her fellow passengers in the train.
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After looking at Manamma, the duo realised that she was in full term. Speaking to the New Indian Express, Shashikala said,
She seemed to be in full term. There was no immediate medical assistance. When we did a test, we realised that the baby was about to come out.
The nurses went beyond the call of duty, and decided to help her deliver in the space between the toilet and the door. With the help of fellow passengers, the space was converted into a makeshift operation theatre to deliver the baby, reports The Logical Indian.
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The passengers also helped source a knife, bedsheet, and thread to perform the operation. The nurses then used plastic bags as gloves and covered the area with a bedsheet.
Explaining the situation to The New Indian Express, Shashikala said,
There was a family travelling in the same compartment. We had seen them using a knife, and borrowed it from them. We needed a thread. Many people who travel from Bengaluru to Bidar get jasmine flowers as they are not easily available in Bidar. They string the flowers to pass time. We took the thread from one such person. While Veena helped Manamma push the baby, I conducted the delivery of the baby girl. All this happened within 15 to 20 minutes.
After conducting the operation successfully, one of them called 108, and an ambulance arrived at the Dharmavaram station. After this, Manamma and her baby were safely shifted to a government hospital.
Dr CS Ragate, Medical Superintendent, BRIMS, said, “It’s a proud moment for us. We are going to felicitate the two nurses.”