Sindh Ambulance Team Saves Premature Baby After 11 Hours
A premature newborn in Karachi faced a life-threatening situation when medical staff struggled to find a hospital with an available incubator. With several healthcare facilities unable to admit the baby, an emergency ambulance team continued providing medical support for nearly 11 hours while searching for a place where the child could receive specialised treatment.
The incident involved the Sindh Integrated Emergency and Health Services (SIEHS), which operates the province's 1122 ambulance network. Instead of simply transporting the newborn, the medical team had to maintain critical care inside the vehicle throughout the prolonged search.
To address emergencies involving premature and critically ill babies, Sindh has introduced ambulances fitted with specialised incubators. These units help maintain a newborn's body temperature, provide oxygen support and assist with breathing during transportation to medical facilities.
According to the Sindh Health Department, more than 5,000 newborns benefited from the incubator-equipped ambulance service within its first year. The fleet includes nine such ambulances in Karachi and 25 across the province, allowing medical teams to respond to neonatal emergencies beyond major hospitals.
The neonatal ambulance service is part of broader efforts to strengthen emergency healthcare outside hospital settings. SIEHS operates through the 1122 network, providing round-the-clock emergency assistance with trained medical technicians and specially equipped vehicles.
Health authorities aim to ensure that every district has access to at least one ambulance capable of transporting premature and critically ill newborns. The expansion is particularly important for families in areas where specialised neonatal facilities are limited or located far from their communities.
A premature newborn in Karachi faced a life-threatening situation when medical staff struggled to find a hospital with an available incubator.
A premature newborn in Karachi faced a life-threatening situation when medical staff struggled to find a hospital with an available incubator. With several healthcare facilities unable to admit the baby, an emergency ambulance team continued providing medical support for nearly 11 hours while searching for a place where the child could receive specialised treatment.
The incident involved the Sindh Integrated Emergency and Health Services (SIEHS), which operates the province's 1122 ambulance network. Instead of simply transporting the newborn, the medical team had to maintain critical care inside the vehicle throughout the prolonged search.
To address emergencies involving premature and critically ill babies, Sindh has introduced ambulances fitted with specialised incubators. These units help maintain a newborn's body temperature, provide oxygen support and assist with breathing during transportation to medical facilities.
According to the Sindh Health Department, more than 5,000 newborns benefited from the incubator-equipped ambulance service within its first year. The fleet includes nine such ambulances in Karachi and 25 across the province, allowing medical teams to respond to neonatal emergencies beyond major hospitals.
The neonatal ambulance service is part of broader efforts to strengthen emergency healthcare outside hospital settings. SIEHS operates through the 1122 network, providing round-the-clock emergency assistance with trained medical technicians and specially equipped vehicles.
Health authorities aim to ensure that every district has access to at least one ambulance capable of transporting premature and critically ill newborns. The expansion is particularly important for families in areas where specialised neonatal facilities are limited or located far from their communities.
