Authorities have initiated DNA testing for a mother and infant at Janakpur Provincial Hospital in Madhesh Province following an allegation of baby swapping. The family of Sarita Sada, 20, from Bhangaha Kanchanwan, Mahottari, claims she gave birth to a son but was handed a daughter by hospital nurses.
The incident has caused tension at the hospital, with Sada’s family refusing to accept the baby until their son is returned. The District Police Office, Dhanusha, confirmed that the DNA verification process has begun to resolve the dispute.
Conflicting Hospital Records Fuel Dispute
The controversy stems from conflicting records regarding the baby’s sex. While a report in the birthing center indicated a female child, the hospital’s register recorded a male child. Furthermore, the online system shows a male record, contradicting the nurses’ paper report which states a female child. These inconsistencies have led Sada’s family to insist they will not take the baby until their son is provided.
Hospital nurses, however, maintain that their report clearly states a female child. They attribute the male entry in the register to a rush, suggesting it was an inadvertent error due to work pressure during the night shift. The nurses have challenged the family to sign a bond, agreeing to face consequences if found guilty, and demanding the family also face action if their accusation is proven false. The family has refused to sign this bond.
The District Police Office, Dhanusha, also reported that four other mothers in the same ward delivered daughters. One mother who gave birth to twin sons the previous night was discharged.
Janakpur Hospital’s Troubled History and Madhesh Health Crisis
Janakpur Provincial Hospital has been embroiled in controversies repeatedly. Previously, on Ashoj 1, 2083 (BS), a gynecologist and obstetrician, Dr. Saroj Sah, was assaulted by relatives of a woman seeking maternity services.
This latest incident highlights broader challenges within Madhesh Province’s healthcare system. Madhesh Province records the highest maternal and infant mortality rates nationwide. Disparities in access to healthcare are evident, with only 70.4 percent of women receiving the recommended four antenatal check-ups. The number of low-birth-weight children in the province also exceeds the national average, at over 23 percent.
Hospitals in the province face issues such as shortages of human resources, lack of medicines, and poor waste management, hindering healthcare development. Although the Madhesh Province government has prioritized healthcare reform and is preparing regulations for the implementation of the Health Service Act 2078 (BS), such incidents can erode public trust. Madhesh Province Chief Minister Satishkumar Singh has also launched a campaign to close illegal hospitals and clinics, with 74 facilities already sealed.
DNA Testing and Next Steps
The District Police Office, Dhanusha, has initiated the process of DNA testing for the infant and mother to verify their biological relationship and resolve the dispute. For DNA testing, parents, children, or siblings of the missing individual can provide blood samples. Relatives providing samples must also submit two passport-sized photographs.
In the Kathmandu Valley, blood samples will be collected at the pathology laboratory of Nepal Police Hospital, Maharajgunj. Relatives outside the valley should contact their nearest District Police Office. The results of this test are expected to definitively determine the baby’s parentage.
The name of the nurse allegedly involved in the baby swapping has not been disclosed, and there is no information available regarding when the DNA test results will be released.
