Srinagar : In the remote Keran in Jammu and Kashmir a pregnant woman who had a history of labor complications was assisted by doctors in delivering a healthy baby over a WhatsApp call as snowfall ruled out the possibility of airlifting the woman. “On Friday night, we received a patient in labor at the Keran PHC (primary health centre) with history of complicated delivery with eclampsia, prolonged labor and episiotomy,” Block Medical Officer of Kralpora Dr Mir Mohammad Shafi said.
As Keran remained cut off from the rest of Kupwara district during the winter air evacuation was the only alternative to bring the patient to the hospital. Continuous snowfall prevented the authorities to arrange an air evacuation, forcing the medical staff at the Keran PHC to look for an alternative way to assist in the delivery. A gynecologist in Kralpora subdistrict hospital, Dr Parvaiz, guided Dr Arshad Sofi and his paramedical staff at the Keran PHC over a WhatsApp call on the procedure to deliver the baby.