Action to be taken against those bringing baby swap allegation: Capital Hospital Director

Bhubaneswar: Close on the heels of false baby swapping allegation at the Capital Hospital here, the director of the healthcare facility today said action will be taken against those levelling such allegations.

Capital Hospital Director Laxmidhar Sahu said appropriate action will be taken against individuals making baseless baby swap allegations.

“A hospital is a sacred place, not a business establishment. There is no possibility of baby swapping here. Those tarnishing the hospital’s reputation with such allegations should face consequences. We are also considering taking legal action against such persons,” said Sahu.

He also informed that identification tags will be attached to the legs of newborns at the hospital from now onwards.

Explaining the procedure, he said, “Following a baby’s birth, the mother will be promptly informed about the newborn’s gender. The baby’s footprint will be recorded, and our staff will document all details about the infant.”

“The attending medical staff will verify the newborn’s gender with the doctors before informing the family members. Additionally, a tag will be securely attached to the baby’s leg if the child is healthy, ensuring there is no room for confusion,” he added.

On the other hand, Pranakrushna Biswal, who had levelled the baby swap allegation, said he will file a case against the hospital.

Biswal defended his claims, saying, “I did not lie. I merely relayed what their staff had told me. They have suspended their staff due to their mistake. I had to endure a 12-day wait for the DNA report due to their error, causing me significant stress. Therefore, I am planning to file a case against Capital Hospital authorities for wasting my time and causing me distress.”

Notably, Biswal had lodged a complaint with the hospital authorities and the police on allegations that his wife had given birth to a baby boy at Capital Hospital on September 25, but the baby was swapped with a girl child. In his complaint, Biswal claimed that he was informed about the birth of a baby boy by a nurse of the hospital.

Accepting the complaint, the hospital authorities conducted a probe and found that the nurse had given the wrong information regarding the gender of the baby due to slip of tongue.

However, Biswal refused to accept the baby girl. The hospital authorities opted for DNA test to solve the case after receiving an order in this regard from a local court.

Eventually, the DNA sample of the newborn girl matched with that of Biswal’s wife.