Hospital staff accused of replacing newborn with dead girl

Relatives allege the staff of the children’s ward replaced new-born boy with dead new-born girl.

FAISALABAD: The relatives of a woman late Sunday night staged a protest outside the Civil Hospital against its administration accusing them of replacing her new-born son with a deceased girl.

Talking to The Express Tribune, Safiya, the mother-in-law of the woman, alleged that the staff of the children’s ward replaced her grandson with someone else’s new-born daughter who had died during delivery.

She said that earlier the Labour room staff had told the family that a boy was born to her daughter-in-law. She said that after two hours of the birth, the child was moved to the children’s ward and they were told that his condition had suddenly worsened.

She added that the children’s ward staff later handed them the body of a newborn girl who was dead.

Dr Javed Asgar, the deputy medical superintendent (DMS) of the hospital, admitted that a boy was born to the woman in the Labour room. He said that they have formed a committee to probe the issue and strict action would be taken against hospital staff if their involvement was proved.

The family lives in makeshift tents near Novelty Pul area in Faisalabad.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 28^th, 2010.