A Delhi woman has shared on Reddit her difficult experience while taking her mother, who was suffering from high blood pressure to a hospital. The account, posted in the r/delhi community forum, has drawn attention to passenger safety, patient care during medical situations, and challenges in urban transport services.
According to the post, the woman booked an Uber Sedan to take her mother to a hospital after she began experiencing symptoms of hypertension, including sweating and elevated blood pressure.
The ride was expected to take around 30 minutes. During the journey, the passenger asked the driver to increase the air conditioning because her mother was feeling hot. The driver reportedly refused at first, citing concerns about fuel consumption, and only adjusted the settings after repeated requests.
The woman further reported that after complying, the driver allegedly drove the vehicle aggressively and later refused to drive inside the hospital premises, initially stopping at the main gate. After an argument, the driver entered the premises but stopped near the Outpatient Department (OPD) gate instead of the Emergency Department, despite repeated requests. Only after she raised her voice did the driver proceed to the correct location.
The woman stated that she filed a complaint through the Uber app. However, she also noted that no action had been communicated to her at the time of her Reddit post.
Hypertension, commonly referred to as high blood pressure, is a significant medical condition that requires immediate attention when symptoms escalate. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), an estimated 1.28 billion adults aged 30–79 years worldwide have hypertension, and many remain undiagnosed or untreated. 1
Uncontrolled hypertension can cause complications such as:
Stroke: Persistent high blood pressure damages blood vessels in the brain, increasing the risk of ischemic or hemorrhagic stroke.
Heart attack: Hypertension forces the heart to pump harder, leading to thickening of the heart muscle and an increased risk of myocardial infarction.
Kidney disease: High blood pressure damages the small arteries in the kidneys, impairing their ability to filter waste.
Vision loss: Hypertensive retinopathy occurs when elevated pressure damages blood vessels in the retina.
Hypertensive emergency: When blood pressure rises rapidly and severely, it can cause life-threatening complications, requiring immediate hospitalization.
The woman in the incident reported that her mother was sweating heavily and had very high blood pressure. Sweating, dizziness, chest discomfort, and headaches are all warning signs that may indicate a hypertensive urgency or emergency. 2 Immediate medical care is critical in such cases to stabilize blood pressure and prevent severe complications.
While ambulances are the first choice for emergency transport, many families in urgent but not life-threatening situations rely on private taxis or ride-hailing services to reach healthcare facilities quickly.
However, ride-hailing platforms are not designed to function as emergency services. Driver reluctance to enter hospital premises, disputes over vehicle operations such as air conditioning, and lack of medical awareness can place patients at risk.
India has one of the largest populations living with hypertension. According to the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and the Public Health Foundation of India (PHFI), nearly 220 million people in the country suffer from the condition, with only 12% having it under control [3].
Contributing factors include:
High salt intake
Sedentary lifestyle
Stress
Obesity
Low awareness and inadequate treatment adherence
Delhi, like many metropolitan areas, faces additional challenges such as air pollution and high stress levels, which further increase the burden of hypertension.
World Health Organization. Hypertension. Accessed September 13, 2025. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/hypertension
Mayo Clinic. High blood pressure (hypertension) – Symptoms and causes. Accessed September 13, 2025. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/high-blood-pressure/symptoms-causes/syc-20373410
India State-Level Disease Burden Initiative. “The Changing Patterns of Hypertension in India.” The Lancet Global Health. 2018. https://doi.org/10.1016/S2214-109X(18)30407-8
(Rh/Eth/TL/MSM)