Two families fight out for baby in Hyderabad, DNA test demanded

More than 24-hours after delivery, they eagerly await taking their newborns into their arms.
In this Nov. 5, 2015 photo, a couple from Britain whose baby was born on Oct. 17 by a surrogate pose their baby for a photo in Anand, India.  | AP/File
In this Nov. 5, 2015 photo, a couple from Britain whose baby was born on Oct. 17 by a surrogate pose their baby for a photo in Anand, India. | AP/File

HYDERABAD: Two young mothers are recuperating in two wards separated by a wall at the Government Maternity Hospital, Sultanbazaar. However, more than 24-hours after delivery, they eagerly await taking their newborns into their arms.

Confusion took root when two women gave birth to a male and female baby at the hospital, between 12.20 to 12.30 p.m on Tuesday. One of the mother is Rajitha from Mahbubnagar and the other is P Rama Devi from Rangareddy district. Of the two babies, only male baby was breastfed and the girl baby has yet to be fed with mother's milk.

Sultanbazaar Police earlier said that after the deliveries, a staff of the hospital informed Rajitha's family that it was a boy for them. But later took away the baby and said it's a girl but not a boy. 

When Ramadevi was asked the same question, she lifted her hand to show a tag around her wrist which mentioned, “P Rama Devi, W/0 P Jangaiah. Alive male baby born on 23/8/16 at 12.26 P.M . Weight 2.8 KG”.  “I breastfed the baby. I was handed over the baby and it was a boy,” said Rama Devi.

However, Rajitha too claimed that the baby handed over to her was a boy. “I read the tag around the baby's wrist and my name was written in English on it. I asked the nurses thrice and they too confirmed that it was a boy,” said Rajitha.

The anxiety for the issue to get resolved prevailed which was evident when Rajitha's husband P Chathru while speaking to an official over phone said that he did not eat food from morning since he is waiting for DNA tests to be conducted.

Demand for DNA test

He said that his family members had the baby with them for more than half-an-hour when a nurse by name Sultana took the baby with her saying some tests have to be conducted.

“A little later they were informed that Rajitha delivered a girl but not a boy. I demand DNA tests to be conducted to know which baby is ours. I don't mind whether it is a boy or a girl. I want a baby born to us,” Chathru said.

Both the male and female babies were admitted at Special Newborn Child Unit (SNCU). As the limbo continued, family members became enraged and created ruckus in the hospital. They demanded baby be handed over to them at the earliest and tried to barge into the SNCU.

Rama Devi's husband Jangaiah, said that they want their baby boy. When asked what would he do if it is declared that the baby born to Rama Devi was a girl, he said, “She gave birth to a boy so we want a boy. It is our first child and I am ready to undergo any tests, including DNA test,” Jangaiah said.

FIR registered

Sultanbazaar Police said that as per demand of Chathru, DNA test would be conducted to know clear the confusion. “The tests have to be conducted at Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) and the women have to be taken there for the tests. As doctors said that stitches on woman would open if there they  move at this time, it would take some time,” said Sultanbazaar SI T Sudhakar. On Tuesday, Chathru lodged a complaint with the Police. The SI said that no FIR has been lodged since the DNA tests can be conducted according to provisions.

He added that if the two families get convinced over which baby belongs to whom, the tests would be conducted as per the demand. 

Ugly practise of staff demanding 'enaam' resurfaces

P Chathru said that a nurse at the hospital demanded Rs 1200 after the delivery and that he gave her Rs 1000 after negotiating. They demand Rs 1000 if it is a girl and Rs 1200 in case of  a boy. I gave her Rs 1000,” he said. The issue was highlighted in Express in the month of May how staff there demand the money to allow family members to cuddle or glimpse at their newborns. The aayas term it 'enaam'. In May, superintendent of the hospital Dr V Ratna Kumari said that she received oral complaints and they need written complaints to take action. The issue has been prevailing  from the past many months.

Rajitha's family also mentioned that staff was rude to them and used inappropriate language. Her aunt Masru said that she was taking care of the baby handed over to them on Tuesday afternoon. 'I was rubbing nose of the baby when a nurse came and took away the baby. When I was following her she called me a 'donkey', asked me not to come inside the unit and pushed me,” Masru said.

Superintendent of the hospital Dr Ratna Kumari was not available at the hospital. When attempted to meet Resident Medical Officer (RMO)-I, Dr G Vidyavathi, staff and Police said her Blood Pressure shot up. 

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