Child abandoned: Woman slips away from hospital after giving birth

The infant was taken to the Child Ward due to his poor health. Meanwhile the mother slipped away.

FAISALABAD:

The Divisional Headquarters Hospital administration on Tuesday discovered that a woman who had given birth 10 days ago had slipped away from the hospital, leaving her child there.

A hospital official said the woman was brought to the hospital on October 20 and was admitted as Mumtaz Bibi, wife of Sultan, a resident of Chak 447-GB.

He said the woman gave birth to a male child. The infant was taken to the Child Ward because of his poor health. Later, the woman slipped away from the Labour Ward.



He said the hospital staff had continued to care for the baby.

When they went to return the baby to the mother on Tuesday, they found out that she had left. He said the hospital staff had looked everywhere for her but could not find her.

The Civil Lines police was informed and went looking for her at the address she had given at the hospital but she was not there.

Medical Superintendent Arif Ali said the hospital staff was not to blame for the incident.

He said they had cared for the child and performed their duties diligently. “People sometimes conceal their identities and register under fictitious names, I believe ‘Mumtaz Bibi’ did that as well,” the medical superintendent said.

Civil Lines Station House Officer said they were still looking for the family of the child.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 30^th, 2013.