JAJPUR: The district administration will refer the abandoned newborn baby, who was born a hermaphrodite (a rare form of intersex anomaly where both male and female gonads are present) to Sishu Bhawan in Cuttack for gender determination and further treatment. The newborn and the mother were abandoned by family members in a private hospital after the doctor informed them about the baby’s underdeveloped genitalia.
Jajpur Collector Chakravarti Singh Rathore said, “After examining the matter, I have directed the chief district medical officer to send the baby to Sishu Bhawan for gender determination as there is no such facility here.” Rathore further said there are two issues relating to the incident. The first one is misunderstanding between the baby’s parents and the other pertains to the newborn.
“I have asked the district child protection officer to resolve the misunderstanding between the couple through counselling. The Child Welfare Committee has also been directed to address financial problem of the baby’s mother and other constraints faced by the couple for treatment of the newborn,” he added.
On Sunday, Snehalata Baral of Haripur was admitted to a private hospital in Jajpur town on Sunday and she delivered a hermaphrodite baby the same night. After delivery, the doctor told the mother and family members that the newborn is neither a male nor female.
The baby’s father Tapan Baral asked his wife to handover the newborn to an orphanage. When Snehalata did not agree, her husband and in-laws left the hospital. Snehalata and her baby are in the private hospital since the last four days.
The incident came to fore after a delegation of district transgenders’ association visited the hospital and enquired about the health of the mother and her baby on Wednesday evening. The association members also met the Jajpur Collector and urged the district administration to provide immediate help to the woman and her newborn. Meanwhile, a team comprising district officials visited the private hospital and met Snehalata and her baby. The officials said both the baby and the mother are fine.