Boat ambulance service begins in Moradabad as floods cut off 67 villages

BAREILLY: The Moradabad district administration on Sunday launched an emergency medical boat ambulance service after heavy rainfall caused water levels to rise, inundating parts of 67 villages across three tehsils.

The boat, which can carry three to five patients at a time, was flagged off from Daswan Ghat and is intended to maintain and improve health services in flood-prone villages, district officials said.Additional district magistrate (finance and revenue) Mamta Malviya said, “The service would facilitate safe deliveries for pregnant women, protect children from diseases such as diarrhea, and ensure healthcare for the elderly in flood-affected areas.

The boat ambulance will have a doctor and paramedics on board, along with an oxygen cylinder, essential life-saving medicines, and equipment for childbirth and other treatments, even during heavy rainfall.

”Malviya added, “The boat will operate in two shifts -- 6 am to 2 pm and 2 pm till sunset -- and will respond promptly to calls from the district-level control room or other sources. It will also be used to distribute medicines in affected villages.”

Satish Kumar, a resident of Gadai Khera village, said, “During floods, even basic medicine is hard to get. With the boat ambulance, we won’t have to travel hours to reach a doctor. It’s a service we’ve needed for years.”Notably, two days ago, a pregnant woman in labour was unable to reach a hospital due to submerged roads in neighbouring Bijnor district. Her family placed her on a cot atop a tractor, but the vehicle became stuck. The State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) eventually rescued her by motorboat and took her to the community health centre.