TRAFFIC HALTS FOR AILING INFANT IN GUWAHATI

GUWAHATI: Traffic on one of Guwahati’s busiest roads came almost to a standstill for nearly 30 minutes on Sunday morning to allow the movement of an ambulance to airlift a critically ill six-month-old child to Delhi for treatment. The boy, who hails from upper Assam, is suffering from a rare infection of the lung and spinal cord, and was flown to Delhi.

GUWAHATI : Traffic on one of Guwahati’s busiest roads came almost to a standstill for nearly 30 minutes on Sunday to allow the movement of an ambulance to airlift a critically ill sixmonth-old child to New Delhi for treatment.

The green corridor in the state capital was set up along a 45-km stretch from Pratiksha Hospital on VIP Road to the Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport for Snigdharaag Bhuyan.

The boy, who hails from Biswanath Chariali in upper Assam, is suffering from a rare infection of the lung and spinal cord, and was flown in an air ambulance for treatment at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital in Delhi.

It usually takes nearly 90 minutes to cover the distance due to traffic, but on Sunday with effort of the police, public and local television channels, the ambulance carrying the child reached the airport in 26 minutes.

The air ambulance left Guwahati airport at 11:50 am and is expected to reach Delhi airport within four hours.

Snigdharaag was being kept on ventilation at Pratiksha Hospital for two months but in order to seek better care, his parents decided to take him to Delhi. “Since it was a genuine case that needed our intervention, we had appealed to the public to cooperate. It was a relief to see people responding well and allowing the child to get airlifted within minutes of leaving the hospital,” said Hiren Chandra Nath, Guwahati police commissioner.

The boy’s parents had made an appeal through social media and local television channels to the public to help with funds and ensure a smooth journey to Delhi.

“We are thankful to the public, police and the media for helping us in our time of need. I hope such steps are taken for others as well when needed,” the boy’s mother Madhusmita Saikia Bhuyan told journalists.

Nath said a green corridor is being set up in Delhi as well so that Snigdharaag can be shifted from the Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport to the Sir Ganga Ram Hospital.

In March, an eight-day-old baby from Dibrugarh in Assam was flown to Delhi for emergency treatment and a similar green corridor was set up in the national capital at the behest of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Prayers are being offered at several religious places across Assam for the child’s well being. The police hope that the widespread coverage in media about the child will spread mass awareness among road users.

“Every minute and second is crucial during an emergency. This event should sensitise the public on the need to make way for ambulances and emergency services,” Nath said.