Paramedic Borislav Karanikolov delivered a baby by himself in an ambulance in the center of Burgas. The case is from yesterday. The branch for emergency medical assistance in the Municipality of Sredets, where he is on shift, received a call about the onset of labor from the village of Orlintsi. “The woman was waiting for us in the center of the village. We picked her up, she was having contractions. While we were traveling, the contractions occurred every 2-3 minutes and the baby was born two minutes before we reached the hospital,” said Borislav Karanikolov.
This happens at the “Trapezitsa” intersection, which is located meters from the University Hospital in Burgas, while the ambulance flies with its sirens on to the hospital. “It was not very comfortable, I had to lean against the wall to assist the mother. The child cried almost immediately. Those few minutes seemed very long to me,” says the paramedic. But he remembers what he learned at university and applies it without hesitation.
The baby is a girl, and the mother gave it a name like her own. At the moment, both are in UMBAL Burgas and their condition is good.
Borislav Karanikolov acquired his profession at the Burgas University “Prof. Dr. Asen Zlatarov”. He has been working as an ambulance paramedic for a year and a half. During the holiday season, he helps in a doctor’s office, provides emergency care and at football matches. He is proud of his profession, but he does not hide that he encounters difficulties – despite the lack of personnel in the Emergency Aid system, it is difficult to appoint paramedics there.
At the same time, they use their knowledge and skills, but with blurred responsibility – both helping and not helping, you can be equally vulnerable to the law.
“Borislav’s act is another proof that the place of a paramedic is in the Emergency Service with clearly defined rules and duties that he must carry. Colleagues are perfectly prepared to respond to emergencies, accidents, domestic incidents.
Our work on the regulation of the profession continues because it is unacceptable that with 45% of A&E positions permanently unfilled, their skills should not be used. The paramedic is the backbone of the Emergency Aid system throughout Europe,” commented the Union of Paramedics in Bulgaria.
