Lahore hospital investigation finds nothing on ‘swapping baby with dead child’ – Pakistan

LAHORE: During investigations into an incident in which a baby boy was allegedly swapped with a dead baby girl at the children’s hospital, the hospital management claimed that the parents themselves removed the “male baby” from the hospital against medical advice, without explaining the issue of “swapping” of babies.

The incident was investigated by a committee of senior medical professors of the hospital following a complaint by the father of a four-day-old sick baby, Irfan, from Gujranwala, who alleged that doctors and staff had switched his son with a dead baby girl.

He had asked the hospital administration to return his son and to take legal action against the officials responsible for the “crime” they committed.

Irfan had also brought the girl’s body back to the hospital which was reportedly handed over to him by the relevant staff.

Police lodge FIR on father’s complaint

In its findings, the commission said investigators have questioned all relevant staff, including doctors, nurses and paramedics, who were in the neonatal unit where Irfan’s son was being treated. It also said that footage from CCTV cameras installed at the site was also examined.

The report said the newborn’s condition became critical despite all possible care and doctors shifted him to the intensive care unit to put him on ventilator support. However, the parents and other relatives of the patient refused further treatment and left the hospital with the baby after signing the discharge form against medical advice, the committee said.

However, the hospital’s investigation report says nothing about the alleged baby swapping.

Meanwhile, Naseerabad police have registered an FIR on Irfan’s complaint regarding the alleged exchange of the baby boy with the dead girl by the hospital staff.

Published in Dawn, July 5, 2024