DNA test to establish parenthood due on Dec 14. PHOTO: FILE
The issue surfaced on Thursday when a family residing in Latifabad No 5 charged the Hilal-e-Ahmer (Red Crescent) Hospital of replacing their newborn boy. "I admitted my baby boy [in the hospital] on December 7 due to a problem with his lungs. But when he was discharged [on the night of December 9], they handed us a baby girl," claimed Qazi Aqeel, the newborn's father and a labourer by profession.
The family reportedly took the infant home without realising that their loved one had been replaced. "We came to know it was a girl when we changed her pamper at home," Qazi told The Express Tribune. He gave the same version to the police and hospital authorities. The child was born at Aqeel's home and delivered through a midwife.
Dr Qamar Shahbaz, the hospital's medical superintendent, said a male child was referred to Hilal-e-Ahmer Hospital from the Wapda Hospital in Hussainabad by Dr Nuzhat Parveen; who kept the child admitted for three days. Shahbaz claims they handed over a male child to the family, and also questioned how the family failed to recognise their newborn at the time of discharge.
Meanwhile, the police have taken three hospital employees into custody for interrogation: ward-boy Saim, dispenser Kareem and a maid, but a formal FIR has yet to be lodged.
B-Section police SHO Naek Muhammad said a DNA test of the newborn girl, who has been handed over to the hospital, and the father will be conducted to establish parenthood.
On Friday, the police took Aqeel to the DNA testing lab at Liaquat University of Medical and Health Sciences but the test could not be conducted due to their delayed arrival. Aqeel said they will go for the test again on December 14.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 12th, 2015.
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