‘That’s my child’: Man accuses hospital staff of swapping his newborn child

Says they exchanged his baby boy with a girl born in the same labour room

HARIPUR: A man accused the staff of Women and Children Hospital, Haripur of allegedly swapping his newborn baby boy with a girl who was born in the same labour room, police said on Sunday.

According to officials familiar with the matter, Akram, a resident of Bandi Siriya village, admitted his wife to Women and Children Hospital on Thursday after she went into labour.



The following morning, Akram was informed by the hospital staff that his wife had given birth to a boy. However, Akram claims he was later informed that she had actually given birth to a girl.

Akram alleged the hospital staff had exchanged his baby with a girl who was born in the same labour room to the wife of Waseem, a resident of Kangra Colony.

Police told The Express Tribune that Akram had brought the matter to the notice of the doctor in charge but she had failed to take timely action. According to the police, Akram also confronted Waseem and asked him to return his baby. When Waseem refused, Akram tried to snatch the newborn but was eventually stopped by the police.

Akram then lodged a complaint against the hospital staff for exchanging his baby.



Police interrogated the labour room staff who insisted the complainant’s wife had given birth to a girl. Akram also urged hospital authorities to conduct a DNA test of the babies to resolve the matter.

However, both parties settled the matter when doctors and nurses who were present in the labour room during the delivery persuaded Akram to withdraw his complaint, said City police station SHO Sabir Khan.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 12^th, 2015.