Hyderabad: In an extraordinary feat of medical dedication and teamwork, doctors and staff at KIMS Cuddles Hospital, Secunderabad, saved the life of a premature baby after a record-breaking 1,300 km road journey from Surat, Gujarat.
The baby, born prematurely in the seventh month to a Telugu family in Surat, weighed only 1.1 kg at birth and suffered from severe sepsis, respiratory distress, and multi-organ failure. Despite initial treatment at a private hospital in Surat, his condition deteriorated. The family then approached KIMS Cuddles in Secunderabad.
While an air ambulance was considered, financial constraints led the father to opt for road transfer. Under the leadership of Dr. Babu S. Madarkar, Clinical Director & Chief Neonatologist, a specialised team took on the daunting challenge of safely bringing the critically ill newborn to Hyderabad.
“Transporting such a low-birth-weight, critically ill premature baby on ventilator support over 1,300 km was a herculean task,” said Dr. Madarkar during a press briefing. “The journey took 14–16 hours.
To ensure an uninterrupted oxygen supply, two ambulances were used, one carrying the baby and another carrying oxygen cylinders. Along the way, we replenished supplies at multiple points, including Nashik.”
Throughout the journey, the baby faced episodes of breathing difficulty and irregular heart rate. However, the team of doctors, nurses, and paramedics inside the ambulance managed to stabilise him each time. Despite exhaustion and even illness among staff during the journey, their single focus was the baby’s survival.
In total, 31 members were involved in this mission, including doctors, nurses, biomedical staff, marketing staff, backend experts, and support personnel. The transfer was carried out jointly by KIMS Cuddles and Red Health Ambulance Services, with additional support from other KIMS network hospitals along the route.
Upon arrival in Hyderabad, the baby was diagnosed with multiple organ complications. After two months of intensive care at KIMS Cuddles, he has shown significant improvement, now weighing 1.9 kg, breathing on his own without ventilator support, and feeding on his mother’s milk. Doctors confirmed that he is active and playful.
Globally, the longest neonatal road transfer on record was 723 km, and in India, it was only 513 km. This 1,300 km journey sets a new benchmark, and experts believe it will be submitted for recognition in the Guinness World Records.
Key members of the transfer team included Dr. Satish, Dr. Ryan, Dr. Santosh, Chinna Brother, Sanal Brother, and ambulance pilots Anand and Mohan.
The baby’s father expressed deep gratitude to Dr. Babu S. Madarkar, the KIMS Cuddles medical team, and the management. He also thanked Dr. B. Bhaskar Rao, CMD of KIMS Foundation; Dr. Sambit Sahu, Director of Medical Services; and Dr. Abhinay Bollineni, CEO, for their unwavering support.
“They protected my child like the apple of their eye and handed him back to us safely. No words can express our gratitude,” said the father with emotion.