Garhwal Post Bureau
Dehradun, 29 Aug: Doon Medical College Hospital, which remains frequently in the news over various issues, has once again come under scrutiny after a family alleged that the hospital staff had swapped their new born baby. The family has demanded a thorough inquiry into the matter and a DNA test of the new born to establish the facts and put an end to the confusion.
The matter came to the fore today when Health Minister Subodh Uniyal visited Doon Hospital for an inspection. The family approached the minister during his visit and apprised him of the alleged incident and demanded a DNA test to ascertain whether the child handed over to them is actually their new born. Following the complaint, the minister has directed the Director of Medical Education to conduct an inquiry into the matter.
According to the family, they had been told that a boy had been born to them, but they were subsequently handed over a girl. The family alleged that despite repeatedly approaching the hospital and the authorities seeking an inquiry, no action had been taken so far. Sumit Kumar, who has alleged that the new born was swapped, said his wife had been undergoing treatment at Doon Hospital during her pregnancy. As the delivery date approached, doctors admitted her to the hospital on 22 August.
Sumit said the doctors had initially informed the family that his wife would have a normal delivery. However, after keeping her admitted for two days, the doctors informed them on 24 August that a normal delivery would not be possible and that a Caesarean section would have to be performed. After obtaining the family’s consent, his wife was taken to the operation theatre. Sumit said that when the family sought permission to accompany or meet her, they were not allowed inside the operation theatre.
He alleged that, after the operation, the newborn was not shown to his wife or the family. Following the surgery, the family was handed a document in which the gender of the newborn was mentioned as male. However, when the newborn was eventually handed over to them, they found that the child was a girl and not a boy as mentioned in the document.
Sumit said the family had subsequently demanded that the hospital show them the CCTV footage so that the circumstances surrounding the delivery and handing over of the newborn could be established. However, he alleged that their request was not entertained and no inquiry was initiated into the matter. He said the family had continued to seek an investigation as they wanted the facts to be established beyond doubt.
The family has also demanded a DNA test of the newborn, saying that this was the only way to conclusively establish the identity of the child and resolve the issue. Sumit said the family had requested the authorities to conduct the test but had not received a satisfactory response. When the matter was brought to the notice of Health Minister Subodh Uniyal, the minister assured them that a DNA test would be conducted if required. However, he said the family had also been informed that the DNA testing process could be lengthy.
Meanwhile, Health Minister Subodh Uniyal said there appears to be confusion in the matter, but it is important that the confusion be cleared at the earliest. He shared with the media that he had directed the Director of Medical Education to conduct a detailed inquiry into the allegations. He also directed that a DNA test be conducted if it was found necessary during the course of the investigation.
The minister said that misunderstandings could sometimes create an adverse atmosphere and also affect the reputation of a hospital. It is, therefore, necessary to conduct a proper inquiry and establish whether the matter is the result of a misunderstanding or whether any wrongdoing has actually taken place. He said the investigation would bring clarity to the circumstances surrounding the birth and subsequent handing over of the newborn and ensure that the facts were established.
