CUTTACK: A day after it came to fore that SCB Medical College and Hospital (SCB MCH) does not possess any record of around 14 babies born to destitute and mentally-unstable women in the last six years, a three-member team of the Odisha State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (OSCPCR) initiated a probe into the matter.
The team led by OSCPCR chairperson Babita Patro with members Kasturi Mishra and Manasmita Khuntia visited the obstetrics and gynaecology department of the hospital, where the babies had been delivered, and reviewed available records related to the cases.
During verification, the panel could retrieve information on only five newborns of whom, three had reportedly been handed over to their respective families while two others were given to voluntary organisations Vasundhara and Sahaya. The three babies who had been handed over to their respective parents were born to mentally-unstable mothers, the panel said.
“We initiated the probe basing on media reports that there were no records of 14 babies born to destitute and mentally-unstable mothers at the SCB MCH in the last six years. In several cases, women with mental health issues or those without family support had come along with social organisations for delivery at the hospital and after giving birth, the babies were handed over to the latter. Everything is on record,” Patro told mediapersons.
While records of five babies could be found, the documents of the other nine newborns which were not available with the department, have been sought from the hospital authorities, Patro informed.
She said the commission will also issue notices to the organisations involved, including Vasundhara and Sahaya, to ascertain whether the babies had been produced before the child welfare committee (CWC), and verify the current status of those children. “We have taken cognisance of the issue following media reports.
We will verify where the children are now and whether they were produced before the CWC. A suo motu case has been registered so that we can gather all information regarding the present condition of these children,” Patro said.
She said the SCB MCH management has been directed to submit all relevant details regarding babies delivered by destitute and mentally-unstable women in the obstetrics and gynaecology department since 2010. “Once the verification process is completed, a clearer picture will emerge regarding the status and whereabouts of all the newborns,” Patro added.
