Kupwara:As heavy snowfall disrupted life across Kashmir Valley last night, Army troops helped a pregnant woman in Kalaroos Kupwara reach hospital by carrying her for a distance of about 2 km in knee-deep snow before she could be driven to a hospital. The woman gave birth to a girl at the Kalaroos hospital.
The Company commander Major Mukesh of Kalaroos Company Operating Base (COB) received a distress call at around 11.30 PM on Thursday from Shamshada who is an Asha worker.
Shamshada in panic informed Major Mukesh that a patient Shakina Begum was undergoing labour pain and has to be evacuated to a hospital immediately from Nunwani village to Kalaroos Hospital.
Due to heavy snowfall and inclement weather, neither community health service vehicles nor civil transport could drive on snow-filled roads at that time.
Understanding the gravity of the situation and plight of the family, Major Mukesh along with his team and a nursing assistant at took some medical comfort items and reached their home on time.
After that Shakina Begum in labour was being shifted from Nunwani village to Kalaroos Hospital in Kupwara District in ambulance. However due to heavy snow and narrow road the ambulance got stuck.
Understanding the importance of time, the soldiers got out of the vehicles and started carrying Shakina Begum on their shoulders.
The woman was carefully shifted on to the stretcher and was carried on shoulders till Army Gypsy pitched in dark night under heavy snow and slippery conditions.
The woman was then shifted into Gypsy and carried safely to Kalaroos Hospital. Immediately the doctors swung into action, carried out delivery and announced arrival of a baby girl.
“Had the woman was not carried on shoulders and brought in time, both mother and baby would have been in grave danger”, told the doctors while talking to Greater Now.
Army personnel at Kalaroos in Kupwara have earned plaudits for helping a pregnant woman reach hospital on time for the delivery.
This brave and humane act by soldiers brought tears in the eyes of family members who later reached the hospital.
Altaf Keela, the father, hugged the soldiers and thanked them with moist eyes.
