A shot of life: Delhi Police drive expecting mothers to hospitals

Delhi Police’s PCR vans come to the rescue of pregnant women amid restriction on the movement of private vehicles during lockdown.

Amid lockdown, Delhi Police has been successfully ‘delivering good news’ to city folks. So far, about 178 cases have been reported where the cops helped in transporting expecting mothers to hospitals, while ensuring their safely en route.

A pregnant woman being assisted by a Delhi Police personnel.

Pankaj Kumar Sharma, a resident of Badarpur, who is now a father to a baby girl, says, “I dialled several helpline numbers when my wife started experiencing labour pain, but couldn’t get through any one of them. Then, out of sheer panic I rang up the Delhi Police and the personnel reached our house within 20 minutes to take us to a hospital. I’m grateful to them for having saved the life of my wife and child.”

Geetanjali and Pankaj Kumar Sharma take a selfie with their newborn.

It’s the PCR vans — used during patrolling to ensure that social distancing is being followed — that are acting as emergency ambulances to save lives of pregnant women who have gone into labour during this time. “We are trying our best to save precious lives. We have been successful in helping out all the 178 cases we have handled so far. All mothers and babies are doing fine,” says Sharat Kumar Sinha, DCP, PCR, adding that during the coronavirus pandemic, when movement is restricted, people are looking up to the police for help. “In the time of lockdown, the movement of private vehicles is restricted and the ambulances are mostly busy in handling the patients affected by coronavirus. In such times, our PCR vans are doubling up as ambulances to take expecting mothers to the hospital. We usually allow one family member to accompany the patient so that they feel reassured, and the mandate of social distancing is also respected,” adds Sinha.

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Sometimes, the nearest hospital is only 15km far, and the police covers that distance rapidly owing to lesser traffic on the roads due to lockdown. “We are always there to help out people. A woman in labour pain is especially critical, and therefore providing help in such cases is always a priority for us... Most of the calls we receive are well past midnight and we respond to calls from remote locations too. We are only doing our duty,” shares Sinha.

Author tweets @FizzyBuddha