Andhra Pradesh: GITAM Medical college student helps woman deliver baby on moving train

Anakapalle: A 23-year-old MBBS student who is a house surgeon at Gandhi Institute of Technology And Management (GITAM) Medical College, Visakhapatnam, helped a pregnant woman to deliver her baby on a moving train in Andhra Pradesh's Anakapalle district. 

The incident occurred on the Secunderabad-Visakhapatnam Duronto Superfast Express train, which had crossed Rajamahendravaram and had no further stops until Visakhapatnam, and therefore had no major stop from where they could rush to any hospital.

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The couple Satyanarayana and Satyavathi were traveling from Hyderabad to their native place, Ponnam village of Cheepurupalli block in Vizianagaram district. And the 23-year-old medico K Swathi Reddy, from Narasaraopeta was also present on the same train.

After Satyavathi began experiencing labor pains, her husband asked for help from the co-passengers, but no one could help her. Speaking to the Hindustan Times about the incident, the medico said, "I was in a deep sleep when a person woke me up at around 4.30 am. He told me that his pregnant wife was suffering labour pains and requested me whether I could extend any help. He didn't know that I was a medico, as he was requesting other women in the compartment to come to his wife's rescue."

After realising the seriousness of the situation, the doctor converted the bogey into a makeshift labour room with the help of other women passengers. She said, "I had no surgical instruments with me, and not even gloves to perform the delivery. Luckily, I was carrying a bottle of Betadine surgical solution with which I could sterilise my hands. With whatever little experience I had gained during my studies, I ensured that Satyavathi deliver the baby girl without any hassle."

Stating that she was initially worried as this was her first delivery, the medico told Times of India, "I was worried a lot and also fear gripped because this is the first delivery that I performed on my own. Earlier, I assisted professors in the hospital. Initially, I was worried and also afraid because the placenta had not come out for 45 minutes. I was relieved when the baby came out." 

Stating that she could not cut the umbilical cord or clamp it, the doctor said, "There was not even warm water to clean the baby or keep the baby in a warm condition as it was an air-conditioned compartment. All that I could do was to wrap the baby in three or four warm clothes." 

With the help of the traveling ticket examiner (TTE) of the Duronto Express, Swathy sent a message to the station master Venkateshwara Rao of Anakapalle railway station. The TTE then allowed a halt at the station despite it not being a major step. An ambulance was kept ready at the station. She said, "By the time the train came to a halt, the railway authorities arranged an ambulance to shift the woman and the child to the nearby hospital. But I did not want to leave them at that. So, I accompanied them to the NTR government hospital, where gynecologist Dr. Anuradha treated them." The baby girl was put in an incubator. 

The medico stayed in the hospital with the couple till the mother and baby received the required help, following which she left for Vishakapatnam by bus. 

The incident received a lot of attention on social media, with various Twitter users praising the medico for her timely action. 

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