KALABURAGI:A case of alleged baby swap at the Kalaburagi District Government Hospital has had the hospital authorities and the local police on the edge with two nursing mothers laying claim on a male child while disowning a female child.
After the intervention of the police on Tuesday evening, the hospital authorities on Wednesday sent blood samples of the five-day old infants and the parents for DNA tests to establish the parentage. District surgeon Dr B N Joshi said the report is expected within a week.
On December 15, Nandamma, the wife of Siddappa, hailing from Konasirasagi village in Kalaburagi taluk, and Nazma Begum, the wife of Lal Mohammed of Kadamgera village in Shahapur taluk of Yadgir district were admitted to the hospital for delivery. Both women delivered babies in the span of about 10 minutes.
Nandamma, her husband and her parents have claimed that a nurse brought a male baby out of the labour ward and showed it to the husband and other family members. The baby was with them for about 10 minutes after which it was taken back. The family has alleged that some time later, the hospital authorities changed their version and told Nandamma that she had in fact delivered a female baby and that Nazma Begum had delivered the male child.
Refusing to buy the hospital’s contention, Nandamma and her family have been insisting that the hospital authorities hand over the male baby to them as she had delivered before Nazma Begum and a nurse had even shown them the male baby. Nazma and her family too have refused to accept the female baby. Shockingly, neither Nandamma nor Nazma breast-fed the babies for about four days.
In an effort to convince the families, the hospital authorities on Tuesday tested blood samples of the babies and the parents. The tests revealed that the blood group of the male child was B+ve, matching with that of Nazma Begum and Lal Mohammed, while the blood group of female baby was A+ve, matching with that of Nandamma and Siddappa. Yet, Nandamma and her family were not ready to accept it.
On Tuesday evening, Kalaburagi Superintendent of Police Shashikumar held a meeting with the District Surgeon and the fathers in his chamber. He convinced Siddappa to take the female baby for a few days till the DNA report is received and to ask his wife to breastfeed the baby. He also told Lal Mohammed to ask his wife to breastfeed the male baby. Both accepted the suggestion, and on the advice of the SP, Siddappa filed a complaint with the police regarding his suspicion on the exchange of babies and seeking a directive to the hospital to conduct a DNA test.But Nandamma has remained adamant and has refused to breastfeed the girl child. However, she agreed to drawing milk through artificial means after which the baby was fed.