Nepalgunj, September 13

A newborn girl, who was declared dead and handed over to family members by Bheri Hospital, Nepalgunj, for burial, has come back to life, according to family members.

Kamala Adhikari of Chhedagad Municiplaity-9, Jajarkot, had delivered the baby at 5:45am yesterday at Bheri Hospital.

Ever since she conceived the baby, Adhikari had been visiting Dr Urmila Risal for routine check-up. She had visited the hospital for check-up yesterday as well.

Adhikari’s husband Milan said she had normal delivery. “The health workers handed over the baby wrapped in a plastic bag saying that the baby has died,” Milan said. “But when we took the baby to Bulbuliya to bury, we found that the baby was alive,” he added.

According to Milan, staffers at the parturition department of the hospital had handed over the baby saying it was dead.

“Feeling sad, we took the baby to Bulbuliya for burial. But, as the child started moving, we took the baby back to the hospital immediately,” Milan said. He demanded action against the hospital staff and doctors for declaring the newborn dead without proper examination. “This speaks of the degree of negligence at the hospital,” he said.

Hospital staff and doctors had sought Rs 2,000 from Milan for the newborn’s burial.

However, the hospital has rejected all accusations and said that it had handed over a live newborn baby to the family members.

Hospital’s Acting Medical Superintendent Dr Rupananda Adhikari said that they had handed over the newborn to family members asking them to take the baby to well-facilitated hospital as it was the case of premature birth.  The child was kept in intensive care unit of the hospital, said Rupananda Adhikari.

According to hospital record, Adhikari had delivered the baby in the 23rd week of pregnancy. The newborn weighs only 600 grams.