Ambulance driver carries woman, newborn on cot  

BARIPADA:  Going beyond his call of duty, an ambulance driver helped locals carry a woman and her newborn baby on a cot for two km in absence of motorable road at Kaptipada here on Thursday.  Nilamadhab Mohanty, the driver of a Janani Express ambulance, reached Purunadihi village after getting a call from the family of a pregnant woman, Mani Digi, to transport her to Kaptipada community health centre (CHC).

However, as Purunadihi does not have a motorable road, Mohanty waited at a distance of 2 km from the village. He remained in contact with Mani’s husband Ladura Diga over phone and asked him to bring his wife to the vehicle. 

In the meantime, Mani gave birth to a baby girl at home. As her family could not carry her to the ambulance, Mohanty rushed to the village on foot and asked Ladura to arrange a cot. Mohanty along with Ladura and a woman carried Mani and the baby on the cot to the ambulance and drove the vehicle to the nearby hospital. 

“I had sent a message to Ladura asking him to bring Mani to the ambulance. However, as she (Mani) delivered at home, I rushed to the village and assisted Ladura in carrying her to the vehicle,” Mohanty said.  Both Mani and the newborn were taken to Saluchua primary health centre where their condition is stated to be stable.

Ladura said in absence of a motorable road, as many as 75 families in the village face problems during emergencies. The sarpanch and ward member are aware of the issue but have done little to address it. He thanked Mohanty for assisting him and saving the lives of his wife and daughter.  Meanwhile, Kaptipada block development officer Satyanath Naik said steps will be taken to construct a road to the village soon.