SUKKUR: On Thursday, the Jamiat Sodagaran Hospital transformed into a battleground. A family blamed the hospital management for replacing their newborn baby boy with a girl.
Mai Begum, from the Waseer Mohalla in New Pind, claims that her daughter-in-law Shahneela was admitted to the hospital on Wednesday and gave birth to a boy on Thursday morning. She said that the lady doctor and nurse congratulated her for having a grandson after three granddaughters. She added that the nurse took the baby away and said she had to clean him up.
According to Mai Begum, the nurse was supposed to bring the baby boy back but instead she brought a baby girl. She claims that she had seen the boy before he was taken away.
The baby’s father Siraj Ahmed told The Express Tribune that soon after the birth, his mother saw his son but afterwards the nurse handed her a baby girl. Ahmed said that the ultrasound report showed that his wife was going to give birth to a boy. “How did the baby change into a girl?” he said.
“I have three daughters and was very happy about having a boy.” He added that the staff had congratulated his mother for having a grandson. “She gave them money to buy something sweet to celebrate,” he said. “I will go to court if the hospital does not return or find my son.”
The hospital’s chairman Shaikh Saleem Ahmed told The Express Tribune that Shahneela was admitted to the hospital on Wednesday but the ultrasound report did not specify the sex of the child.
He said that the report showed that the baby’s head was swollen which meant that the mother might not be able to give birth naturally and have a cesarean instead. The chairman added that they had informed the family and Siraj had signed a form, stating that they could operate on Shahneela.
While talking about the birth, the chairman said that it had been normal and the staff had congratulated the family because the baby’s delivery was uncomplicated but that they misunderstood them. He said that it was not possible for the management to replace the baby as only one birth had taken place there all day.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 27th, 2012.
COMMENTS (6)
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Idiotic situation, have a blood test and end of the story.
I'm sure DNA testing is available there or nearby bigger city. Won't be a longer issue
do a simple blood test or dna test
Blood & DNA test.
asif khan: what you are saying is only one side of the story. If the babies have indeed been swapped which is quite possible, then a big crime has taken place and this family has been wronged (and should not be judged)! I would not trust the Hospital without solid evidence, i.e Blood test reports etc. Also, in Pakistan, sad as it is, hospital staff or people in general, wouldn't congratulate anyone on the birth of a girl, complications or no complications, let alone a fourth one. :(
i was happy that after 3 girls i was having a boy.so,they're dying to get a son,a grandson but nobody wants a daughter,a grand daughter.pathetic,shameless people and then they go on judging other people and say that non-muslims are inferior to us.well,atleast the westerners don't lament and mourn the birth of a girl,atleast they don't fight amongst each other to get rid of their daughters.in a country that's 97% muslim and proudly claims that we are better than the rest because of our religion,the people should take a look at the way they discriminate against girls from their birth.