Baby born in ambulance made St John life member

THE STAR ONLINE
Friday May 15, 2009
By ANN TAN


GEORGE TOWN: A baby girl born in an ambulance on the way to the Penang Hospital has been made a life member of the Penang St John Ambulance.

Puteri Syifa Balqis Ismail was delivered on Monday by Muhammad Jusri Jamaluddin, 23, who had joined the Emergency Medical Assistance Service (EMAS) of St John Ambulance just four months ago.

In safe hands: Muhammad Jusri carrying the baby he helped to deliver while Farizal and Ismail look on in George Town yesterday.

Farizal Abdullah, 32 said she did not expect her baby to be born so soon as the due date was May 20.

She had earlier complained of abdominal pains at about 5am and asked her husband Ismail Said, 39, to send her to the hospital.

“As there was a very bad traffic jam at the time in Jalan Tengah, we decided to go to the Bayan Baru Community Clinic. Unfortunately, the clinic was not open,” the mother of five said, adding that her husband then sought help from Muhammad Jusri who was on duty at the EMAS base at the clinic.

Muhammad Jusri, who was trained to deliver babies last month, recalled: “Upon arriving at the hospital, the mother told me that the baby was coming out soon and we might not have time to admit her.

“When I saw the baby’s head coming out, I panicked and started feeling nervous but I kept my cool as my main concern was to deliver the baby safely,” he said, adding that he tried to recall the steps he learnt during last month’s course.

“We had only only practised on a dummy. Luckily the steps were still fresh in my mind and I delivered the baby without any complications,” he said.

Farizal said her eldest son was also a member of St John’s Ambulance. She hoped he and Puteri Syifa Balqis would grow up to be as dedicated as Muhammad Jusri.

Puteri Syifa Balqis is the second baby to be delivered in an ambulance since EMAS was set up about four years ago.

The first baby, a boy, was delivered by a Penang St John Ambulance member in 2007.