Babies swapping: Nurse, ayah terminated in Mancherial

On December 28, two women alleged that their babies were interchanged due to negligence by the nurse and ayah working in an operation theatre at the GGH.

Mancherial: A contract-based staff nurse and ayah were on Saturday terminated from services for their role in swapping of two babies in Mancherial Government General Hospital. GGH Medical Superintendent Dr Harishchandra Reddy said that the staff nurse and ayah were sacked from the service for being negligent in handling the babies resulting in the swapping. He did not disclose the names of the nurse and ayah citing privacy. He added that the safety of newborns would be stepped up.

On December 28, two women alleged that their babies were interchanged due to negligence by the nurse and ayah working in an operation theatre at the GGH. Mamatha, a new mother from Royyalapalli village in Chennur mandal, said that she was initially informed that she had delivered a baby boy, but she was told she gave birth to a baby girl.

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Meanwhile, Bollam Pavani of Asifabad claimed that she was informed by the doctor and the nurse of the operation theatre that she delivered a baby boy, but a baby girl was handed over to her. Family members of both Mamatha and Pavani staged a dharna, demanding action against the staffers of the theatre holding them responsible for the exchange of babies at birth.

The babies were separated from their mothers and were handed over to authorities of the Women Development and Child Welfare department. Blood samples of both newborns and mothers were collected to perform Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) test on the newborns on Friday. The result is expected to be declared in a week.