UP: Swaroop Rani Nehru Hospital to get cradle facility for abandoned newborns

Prayagraj: In a significant move to save and provide shelter to countless newborn babies abandoned by their parents, a Rajasthan-based organization has decided to set up a  state-of-the-art cradle facility at the Swaroop Rani Nehru (SRN) Hospital in Sangam city which is expected to be completed in two months.  

The hospital accepted to take part in setting up the facility after observing that many abandoned newborns in the district have met unfortunate death due to early negligence. Therefore, the facility once established will provide shelter and protect the newborns from any unwanted situations.

The facility will be set up near the department of gynaecology and obstetrics of the SRN hospital by Maa Bhagwati Vikas Sansthan, a Rajasthan-based organisation, which has been entrusted with the responsibility from the state government to develop shelters in the hospitals affiliated to different medical colleges of the state.

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It has been observed that many mothers in the district frequently abandon their newborn babies in the corridors of the hospital which often results in their death due to negligence. The fact that the rates of abandoned babies have increased in the past couple of years concerns the government.

Therefore, to minimise the increasing rates and protect the abandoned newborns from being neglected, the organization has decided to develop the cradle facility in the Prayagraj district where there have been approximately 12 abandoned newborns over the past 11 months.

According to Childline India records reported by HT, eight newborns were found between April 2020 and November 2020 in the district. Before that, 11 newborns were found deserted between April 2019 and March 2020.

Meanwhile, the cradle will be a high-end facility with a sensor-based alarm that will start ringing after two minutes of a newborn getting placed in the cradle. This has been done purposely so that the mother or kin who drops the baby in the cradle gets sufficient time to leave the place.

The hospital will keep the details of all children, whatsoever, confidential. Soon after receiving the baby, immediate medical attention will be given along with needed clothes etc. When the child is healthy, they will be sent to a state-recognised children's home.

Although the organization has decided to develop the facility at the SRN hospital under the MNL Medical College, there are many other hospitals and medical colleges in line to get such facilities developed for the betterment of the people.

Devendra J Aggarwal, the head of the organization recently visited the hospital to inspect the site where the facility will be built and also met with the principal of ML Medical College, Dr SP Singh, chief medical superintendent Dr AK Saxena and deputy superintendent Dr Gautam Tripathi.

"This is a noble cause and will help the newborn babies who sometimes meet unfortunate death because of early negligence. The cradle facility will be installed in the next two months," said Dr SP Singh.

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