Mangaluru: Covering 65kms in 40 minutes, ambulance driver saves cardiac patient

MANGALURU: An ambulance driver successfully shifted a 40-year-old patient, who suffered a massive heart attack, from Ujire in Belthangady taluk to Kasturba Medical College (KMC), Mangaluru in just 40 minutes.
The patient from Chikkaballapura, who was on his way to Dharmastala, fell ill when his vehicle reached Sakleshpur on Saturday.
Doctor of a private hospital in Ujire near Dharmastala suggested the patient’s relatives to shift him to KMC Hospital in Mangaluru immediately. Ambulance driver Hameed took just 40 minutes to cover nearly 65kms and thereby became a real saviour.
Interventional cardiologist Dr Padmanabha Kamath, HOD, Cardiology Department, KMC, intervened and managed to open the artery and restore flow.
Dr Kamath told TOI, “When a 40-year-old tourist from Chikballapur sustained a massive heart attack somewhere near Sakleshpur, little did he knew that life will take a different turn. When he reached Dharmasthala, his tourist destination, the chest pain had peaked and he visited the nearest hospital for treatment. It was a massive heart attack and he was advised to go to Mangaluru for further treatment.”
Patient had very low BP and his condition was extremely grave, he said. “At that time entered our real saviour Hameed, the ambulance driver. After premedication, he started his journey fully knowing the odds are against him. The roads are all dug up as there is double lane project underway. He drew at a rapid pace under very treacherous conditions to reach Mangalore within 40 mins. The real drama unfolded then. When patient was being shifted to emergency his heart stopped due to fatal condition. Since the patient was within the emergency room, shock treatment was delivered and heart beating was restored. Later on, we intervened and managed to open the artery and restore flow,” he added.
Dr Kamath and relatives of the patient felicitated driver Hameed at the hospital.