Longest Road Transfer Through RED Ambulance Ensures Safe Journey For 41-Day-Old Infant

Hyderabad: A 41-day-old infant weighing less than 1.5 kg, battling severe anemia, internal bleeding, acute kidney failure, and a sharp platelet drop, survived a high-risk 24-hour ground transfer from Surat to Hyderabad. In what is now being recognized as one of the longest neonatal ambulance transports in India, the journey spanning over 1,200 kilometers became a story of hope, courage, and survival.

Air ambulance, the conventional option for long-distance critical care, was deemed unsuitable in this case due to limited oxygen availability and the need for frequent interventions such as platelet transfusions and continuous monitoring. With no room for delay, a fully equipped neonatal ambulance by RED Health was mobilized to ensure safe and uninterrupted care during the journey.

The infant was accompanied by two senior doctors and two NICU-trained nurses, who provided round-the-clock medical support - platelet transfusions every 12 hours, high-flow oxygen, round-the-clock monitoring of vitals, and in-motion stabilization whenever needed. Each kilometer tested the baby’s fragile condition, as the team drove through rain-soaked highways, winding ghats, and an overnight stretch where every breath was measured in dwindling oxygen cylinders.

When the ambulance finally reached its destination hospital KIMS Cuddles Secunderabad, Hyderabad, the baby arrived in stable condition, a moment of relief that words could barely capture. The parents shared, “Red Health helped us a lot, especially the drivers who drove safely from Gujarat to Telangana. The NICU setup with a ventilator was provided which we didn’t get in any other ambulances. Hence we chose RED Health Ambulance. Night travel without any stay, the team looked at our baby and monitored it throughout. Thank you, RED Health Team.”

Dr. Babu S. Madarkar, Clinical Director, Neonatal & Pediatric Clinician, KIMS Cuddles Hospitals, Secunderabad, said, "During the journey, the ambulance had to navigate through bad roads, heavy rain, and multiple challenges, yet the team ensured the baby reached safely. This was possible only because of seamless coordination between doctors, nurses, and the RED.Health team. For a neonate, this was one of the longest and most critical transfers we have witnessed, and it stands as a powerful reminder to what teamwork and timely intervention can achieve."

The RED Health team echoed the sentiment, Mr. Prabhdeep Singh, Founder and CEO, RED Health shared, “Our job is to respond to emergencies. When air transfer was not an option, every intervention had to be planned and executed in motion. At RED Health, what matters most to us is ensuring that patients get the chance to return safely & healthy to their families. We are truly glad that the baby is now healthy and going back home.”

This rare and challenging transfer underscores the critical importance of ground-based neonatal critical care. It also highlights the power of teamwork between hospitals, doctors, and emergency medical staff. What could have been a story of despair turned into a journey of hope, and a testament to a new benchmark of saving lives in medical emergencies.