Baby with heart defects shifted to Bengaluru in 3 hours – The New Indian Express

By Express News Service

SHIVAMOGGA & BENGALURU: A skilled ambulance driver, a couple worried for their newborn baby boy, and a police machinery which cleared the way for them. These were the people involved in an all-out effort to save the life of the couples 11-day-old baby boy with congenital heart defects. The ambulance driver Sadam Husain transported the baby from Shivamogga to Bengaluru in just three hours which otherwise takes five hours. The police ensured zero-traffic for Husain, who left Shivamoggas Mc Gann Hospital at 9.25 am and reached Jayadeva Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences and Research in Bengaluru at 12.20 pm, covering a distance of 300 km in three hours under police escort.

The newborn was diagnosed with congenital heart problems that presented three holes in the heart atrial septal defect, ventricular septal defect and patent ductus arteriosus.

Shivamogga District surgeon Dr Raghunandan, told TNIE, As the child had developed some problem in his heart on February 5, he was shifted to NICU (Neonatal Intensive Care Unit). Thereafter, we noticed that the baby was suffering from complex congenital heart disease. As we do not have a paediatric cardiac surgeon, we were forced to shift the baby to Jayadeva Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences and Research in Bengaluru for immediate medical treatment. As the baby cannot be put on oxygen for more time, we sought the support of the police department to ensure zero-traffic to reach Bengaluru at the earliest.

However, things did not go as planned in Bengaluru. Dr CN Manjunath, Director of Jayadeva Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences and Research, said, There are three holes in the babys heart. The baby was born premature with low birth weight of 1,500 grams. At this stage, there is no need for cardiac intervention. The baby needs neonatal care, and was shifted for observation to Indira Gandhi Institute of Child Health (IGICH) (also in Bengaluru). For these type of defects, surgery is done between three and six months of age.

The child was rushed to IGICH. Resident Medical Officer Dr Mahantesh said the baby was admitted to NICU. He also had an infection which we are testing and will control. Once the baby gains weight, she will be shifted back to Jayadeva for surgery.

The baby was born to one Swamy and Sudha of Belimalluru village of Honnali taluk, Davanagere district, on January 31. The baby with the congenital heart defects was brought to Mc Gann Hospital in Shimoga Institute of Medical Sciences (SIMS).

People in Shivamogga wished the child a speedy recovery and lauded the efforts of both ambulance driver Saddam Hussain and the policemen who escorted the ambulance to reach Bengaluru in just three hours.

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Baby with heart defects shifted to Bengaluru in 3 hours - The New Indian Express