• Ganga does not know that her marriage is against the law of the land

Hetauda, November 20

A 12-year-old pregnant girl Ganga Maya Praja from Raksirang Rural Municipality, Makawanpur, has been referred to Maternity Hospital (Prasuti Griha) in Kathmandu for a safe delivery of her baby.

At the initiative of the Prime Minister’s Office, for the safety of both the mother and baby in her womb,  Praja, who was admitted to Hetauda Hospital, was referred to Prasuti Griha in Kathmandu today.

According to health check-up, Ganga Maya is likely to deliver the baby in the first week of January next year. But, she has to be operated to deliver the baby due to a conception of the baby at a very tender age, said Dr  Raghbendra Thakur at Hetauda Hospital.

Doctors at Hetauda Hospital say that the hospital can operate on Ganga Maya and deliver the baby, but the hospital does not have ICU for the mother and NICU for the newborn in case of emergency.

Praja was referred to Prasuti Griha for the safety of both the mother and baby.

Dr Thakur said the hospital had referred Ganga Maya to Prasuti Griha as per the directive of the Prime Minister’s Office. “The video x-ray conducted today morning showed the foetus in good condition,” said Dr Thakur. The foetus weighs more than 2 kg at present and the baby should be delivered through surgery in the second week of December, according to Thakur.

Makawanpur CDO Ashman Tamang had reached the hospital today morning and facilitated Ganga Maya’s health check-up.

She had eloped just ten months ago. She had eloped with a boy of 18 from Kailash Rural Municipality, in the district. After she tied the knot, Ganga Maya had quit studies. She was studying in Grade IV at a local school.

Ganga said that she came to know her husband when she had gone to her maternal uncle’s house and had married him after they liked each other.

Ganga, who married at the age of 12, does not know that their marriage is against the law of the land.