Jammu & Kashmir: Doctors help woman deliver via WhatsApp call in snow-capped Keran

In Jammu and Kashmir’s remote snow-capped region of Keran, doctors helped a pregnant woman deliver over a WhatsApp call. Due to snowfall, it was difficult for the family to take this woman to the hospital by helicopter.

Kralpura’s block medical officer Dr Mir Mohammad Shafi said that on Friday night, they received a patient suffering from labor pain at the Keran PHC (primary health centre). He told that she was suffering from many complex health problems during pregnancy.

A helicopter was needed to take the woman to a hospital with maternity facilities as Keran is cut off from the rest of Kupwara district by road during winter.

Incessant snowfall on Thursday and Friday prevented the authorities from arranging helicopters, forcing medical workers at the Keran PHC to seek alternative means to assist in the delivery.

Dr. Parvez, an obstetrician posted at Kralpura sub-district hospital, told Dr. Arshad Sofi and his staff at Keran PHC about the process of giving birth to a child over a WhatsApp call.

Dr. Shafi said that the woman gave birth to a healthy baby girl after six hours. Presently both mother and child are under the supervision of doctors and are fine.