Premature infant's ambulance ride attracts nationwide support

Taoyuan, Aug. 28 (CNA) A mother's plea for drivers on Freeway No. 1 to yield to an ambulance taking her premature daughter to a hospital drew nationwide support in Taiwan on Thursday, with strangers and police helping to ensure the child's safe transfer.

The infant, nicknamed "Hsiao Pingan" (literally "little peace" in Mandarin), was born three months premature, and had been suffering from breathing problems, according to the infant's mother, surnamed Chou (周).

The journey began at around 9 a.m. from National Cheng Kung University Hospital in Tainan, arriving at Linkou Chang Gung Memorial Hospital around 12:20 p.m., according to a Facebook post by the police.

Chou first wrote about the planned three-hour transfer on Threads late Wednesday night, after doctors at National Cheng Kung University Hospital determined her daughter required specialized care at another facility.

In her post, she asked motorists who plan to travel northbound on National Freeway No. 1 on Thursday morning to yield to the ambulance to minimize sudden lane changes that could risk dislodging the baby's breathing tube.

As of press time, her post had been viewed over 900,000 times, with thousands of replies offering encouraging words and 50,000 likes.

Upon learning of the transfer on Thursday morning, the National Highway Police Bureau under the National Police Agency said they reached out to Chou and National Cheng Kung University Hospital, offering assistance through potentially congested areas such as Taichung and Hsinchu.

The police escorted the ambulance from the Dawan Interchange near the 324-kilometer mark of National Freeway No. 1, with different police units taking turns along the route.

Through a Facebook post, the police also expressed hope for the infant's health.

In a follow-up post on Threads, Chou said she did not request a police escort as she had faith in Taiwanese drivers, citing her experience when motorists made way for their ambulance on a previous transfer in July.