HC issues notice to Govt, SCB Hospital over alleged baby swap

Cuttack: The Orissa High Court on Monday expressed grave concern over an alleged baby swap case at the SCB Medical College and Hospital (SCB MCH) in Cuttack, issuing notices to several state authorities. The court has directed the superintendent of SCB MCH to submit a response by April 2, the date of the next hearing.

The petition was filed by Ratana Behera, a resident of Puri, who alleged that his wife had given birth to a healthy baby girl at SCB MCH on February 11. However, what began as a celebratory occasion quickly descended into despair when doctors informed the family that the newborn had fallen ill and needed immediate ICU care.

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As per the recent media reports by Pragativadi, the family was informed that the baby had passed away, and a body was handed over to them. Upon preparing for the burial, discrepancies in identifying the body prompted the family to suspect a swap. The alarming discovery led to further investigations, which revealed a series of irregularities within the hospital.

The Behera family had filed several complaints with various authorities, including the SCB superintendent, Mangalabag police station, and the district collector, between February 13 and 25. However, despite their repeated efforts, the family received no response, prompting the legal action.

Justice Sanjeeb Kumar Panigrahi, who is overseeing the case, has ordered notices to be issued to top state authorities, including the Chief Secretary, the Home Department Secretary, the Secretary of the Health & Family Welfare Department, as well as the Collector and District Magistrate, demanding immediate accountability.

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Justice Panigrahi stressed that hospitals are not merely places for treatment but are sanctuaries where individuals expect the highest standards of care and dignity. "Such incidents shake public confidence in the healthcare system," he remarked.

The court also noted the disturbing inaction of the authorities involved. Justice Panigrahi described the authorities’ failure to respond to the petitioner’s repeated pleas for accountability as "deeply troubling."