Karnataka: Parents shocked as hospital delivers deceased 'boy' after announcing girl; DNA test approved

By Vinaykumar Patil | First Published Oct 3, 2024, 1:44 PM IST

Parents at Koppal's Mother and Child Hospital faced heartbreak after being informed of their newborn girl, only to receive the body of a deceased boy. Confusion led to a DNA test, while an investigation committee has been formed amid past allegations of negligence at the hospital.

Parents of a prematurely born baby at the Mother and Child Hospital in Koppal were left devastated after a shocking mix-up involving the gender of their newborn. Initially informed that they had a baby girl, the hospital authorities later handed over the body of a deceased baby boy, causing confusion and anguish for the family.

Gauri, 24, gave birth at seven months on September 25, and throughout the hospital stay, staff repeatedly referred to her child as a girl. Even the official documents provided by the hospital identified the newborn as female. Due to the baby’s low birth weight, the newborn was being treated in the neonatal care unit. However, Gauri complained that she was never shown her baby's face properly during this period.

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The situation took a heartbreaking turn when Gauri and her husband Kanakappa were given the body of a deceased newborn boy instead of the girl they had been expecting. Distraught and confused, the couple pleaded with the hospital staff to explain the whereabouts of their baby girl. However, they claimed that the hospital staff gave evasive responses and did not provide any clear answers.

Dr. Venugopal, the district hospital's director-in-charge, explained that while the birth registration recorded the baby as a boy, confusion arose because the K-sheet listed the newborn as a girl. He assured that a DNA test would be conducted, as requested by the parents, to confirm the child's identity, reported TOI.

An expert committee, led by district surgeon Dr. Krishna Omkar, has been established to investigate the matter. The committee will question the hospital staff and doctors who were present during the delivery. They are expected to submit their findings within two days.

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This isn’t the first time the Mother and Child Hospital in Koppal has faced controversy. The hospital has previously been accused of negligence, including allegations of baby switching and the deaths of newborn girls. Complaints have also been raised regarding the impartiality of previous inquiry committees, which were composed of hospital staff members.

The grieving parents have expressed their intention to file a police complaint over the mix-up, seeking justice and clarity regarding their baby. The DNA test results are expected to shed light on the truth.

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