The Hindu : Tamil Nadu News : Newborns leave footprints in hospital

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
ePaper | Mobile/PDA Version

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

Newborns leave footprints in hospital

Karthik Madhavan

The aim is to guard against incidents of child theft and swap

— Photo: M. Govarthan

Government Hospital staff recording the footprint of a newly-born baby; a practice introduced recently to eliminate issues regarding child’s parentage.

ERODE: Babies born in the government hospital here have started leaving their footprints on hospital records to sort out issues of parentage, if any.

After the recent incidents of child theft and swap, the hospital administration has decided to record the footprints of newborns.

Since last week, the hospital has been recording the right foot impression of baby boys and the left foot of girls delivered and under treatment, says Superintendent K.K.A. Hussain Ali.

The impression is taken on the rear of the case sheet, in the presence of mothers, if they are conscious, or fathers or any relative. The case sheet, together with the footprints, then goes to the medical records room.

Dr. Ali says the system, which involves no time-consuming procedure, will help to prevent child swap. “It may not be conclusive evidence, but evidence good enough not to be ignored.”

The hospital where 16-18 births occur every day lost a child recently, as an unidentified woman entered the labour ward to disappear with the child.

A similar incident occurred a few months ago.

Dr. Ali says the practice, which is on trial, can be implemented in maternity centres and primary health centres.

But why the right foot for boys and the left for girls? He says the reason is not scientific but procedural. “Just to ensure uniformity, we have adopted the practice. By looking at the impression, it will be clear whether it is a boy’s or a girl’s.”

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Tamil Nadu