Parents Accuse Lady Goschen Hospital Staff of Switching Babies
Arun Uppinangady
Daijiworld Media Network—Puttur (RD/CN)
Puttur, Sep 16: Alleged lapses on the part of medical officers and maternity staff of Mangalore's government Lady Goschen Hospital have led a woman, who gave birth to a baby there recently, to question whether she has her own baby with her.
Ramachandra, a resident of Pulittady, near here, had admitted his wife Vasanti for the delivery of their second baby at the hospital on Friday September 3. Vasanti delivered a baby on Monday September 6 at 9.10 am and the maternity staff informed her that she had delivered a baby boy.
They later said that Vasanti had given birth to a baby girl. Vasanti and her family believe that there might have been some confusion in recording the gender of the baby by the hospital staff.
An examination of the certificate issued by the hospital authorities suggests that there could have been an exchange of babies. The hospital records of Vasanti state that she had delivered a healthy baby boy weighing 3.2 kg whereas the discharge summary states that it was a girl. In the immunization record, it was mentioned as baby boy and later changed to baby girl.
Ramachandra and Vasanti are poor and due to the lapses in recording the gender of their baby, are worried whether they would be entitled to state benefits under the Bhagyalaxmi scheme. They are in doubt whether the baby is their own. This incident has led them to wonder if the restrictions in the maternity ward are being misused by the maternity staff.
It is learnt that four women delivered babies within a short span of half an hour on the same day as Vasanti, of which three babies were female and one male.
“We found it difficult to express our concerns, due to the high-handedness of the maternity staff who had scant regard for us”, said Vasanti’s family.
Ramachandra and Vasanti want the issue to be resolved through a DNA test at the cost of the hospital. The health department is expected to take early action in this regard.
Dakshina Kannada district health officer Srirangappa, when contacted, said that it was a serious lapse by the maternity staff. “I will not comment until the truth is revealed. I will order an extensive investigation into the case, provided the couple lodges a complaint along with all the relevant papers”, he said.
The department officers are expected to visit the family in order to address their grievances and resolve the issue.