The distance between Kannur and Thiruvananthapuram is roughly around 500km, which makes the travel time between these two cities nothing less than 13 hours.
Additionally, if one is to include road congestions and traffic blocks, it can easily become a 14-hour long journey.
However, on Wednesday night, the entire state of Kerala and its citizens turned vigilantes and proved that this distance could be covered in less than 7 hours to save a baby’s life.
31-day old Fathima Leba was admitted to Kannur Pariyaram Medical College with a critical heart condition. As her health deteriorated, it was decided that she immediately needed to be shifted to Sri Chitra Institute in Thiruvananthapuram.
Due to the precarious condition of the infant, the option of the air ambulance was ruled out and the only feasible choice left was through road.
Driven by Thamim, a resident of Kasargod, along with a police escort, the ambulance kickstarted its marathon journey from Kannur at 8:30 p.m. with a standby paramedical staff.
Soon enough, the message spread like wildfire through social media with the number and details of the ambulance being shared.
The people on board the ambulance kept posting their location updates on social media and WhatsApp, which helped residents keep track of their movement and clear the traffic as the ambulance approached.
This overwhelming act of solidarity showcased by people irrespective of their gender, caste, or religion, ensured that the ambulance did not come across any form of barrier or blockage throughout the 508-km stretch at any point.
In fact, the only time the ambulance took a halt was to feed the baby.
It was only after Rinto, a paramedic on board the ambulance posted a message saying that they had successfully reached the Sri Chitra Institute, did thousands across the state breathe a sigh of relief. The ambulance managed to reach the hospital in an unbelievable time span of 6.5 hours!
Cheers to the folks of Kerala who proved that even the most difficult of situations can be overcome through unity and solidarity.